The Camargue...info please (1 Viewer)

[Robert 314]

I intend visiting the Camargue in the next week or so and spend a while taking in the essence of the region. I travel alone with my trusty dog and know little of the region. Please give me any tips or suggestions that will make our trip more enjoyable. Thank you in anticipation.

 

[yodeli]

It's been hot everywhere here down south France, so my advice is : Essence de citronnelle and candles at night with a drop or two of it in, and a lot of anti mosquitos lotion!

PS: Doggy might need some as well, they are quite bad , and the tiger ones are so small you never see them, but their bites ... oh gosh !

 

[Glandwr]

A good introduction would be Arles (free aire CamperContact) an interesting city with ancient remains and almost a Spanish flavour to it. It seems to be bi lingual (French and Occitane? on signs) striking looking gypsy type women! Think Bizet's Carmen. It's certainly a different country.

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[2spritelyislanders]

Second what Yodeli says about mossies . We were there in May and they had a good munch on me . I've never had such huge bites and they itched for days. So definitely stock up on anti-mossie stuff. Hope you and Merlot have a good bite free time We're on our way back to Roscoff for the ferry on Tues . Thought of you both when we stopped off in Pontorson to take Halle to the vet and do our last minute alcohol shopping

 

[movan]

.....I'm just jealous.

@yodeli do the horses run wild there?

 

[yodeli]

.....I'm just jealous.

@yodeli do the horses run wild there?

Yep! Also .....but you're not gonna like this , they have special breeds for ..... corrida!
Marie Sara, who is a famous torrerra is one of these breeders.

Of course it is much nicer to see the free ones. I think they have a devoted area to run free ... to be checked!

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[martin1485]

We enjoyed Aigues-Mortes, a historical medieval walled city which has been very well preserved. 2 aires just outside the walls. Quaint cafes and restaurants, really nice walks on the walls right around the city. Salt flats just outside. Flamingos when we were there.

 

[movan]

Yep! Also .....but you're not gonna like this , they have special breeds for ..... corrida!
Marie Sara, who is a famous torrerra is one of these breeders.

Of course it is much nicer to see the free ones. I think they have a devoted area to run free ... to be checked!

 

[Teuchter]

We are in Colombiers (near Beziers) at the moment on our way home having spent a couple of weeks in the Camargue as part of our 4 week trip to France

Loved the Camargue - agree that Aigues-Mortes, is good as is Saint-Gilles (both cater for campervans) but to us the "Jewell in the Crown" was Saintes Maries de ls Mer (three aires and an excellent campsite around the town) great restaurants market and lots of trips to explore the Camargue National Park by boat or on land!

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[Lenny HB]

Been there several times in September hardly ever been biten by mozzies. The eastern end at Plage de Piemanson you can wild camp on the beach make sure you have plenty of water and supplies it's in the middle of nowhere. At the western end if you like Aires and a town that has more Motorhomes than residents and every other shop is a restaurant there are 5 Aires at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, we like the wild one at the eastern end of town. In the bull ring local ranchers put on horse displays that are well worth going to. Although we like hills and don't like flat & boring we love the Camargue.
I believe the Aire at Aigues-Mortes is closed but I think there is one by the campsite a little further out.

Wild on the sand at Plage de Piemanson

The Aire we like at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

A bit of fun on the church roof at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.

 

[Ridgeway]

The aire about 1km out of SMDLM is perfect at this time of year, about €6 a night (was last year) It basically a carpark but there is water and a place to empty a cassette and grey water.

We usually go each year and have been doing so for almost 10yrs now. The sea will be just about warm enough (18-20º) if you're brave or like our little ones just plain unbothered by cool water.....

There's plenty of birdlife to watch, especially the "Mingos' as our lot tend to call them (Flamingos) and you can get pretty close even just off the roadside.

The main attractions are the Camargue horses as well as the bulls. There's usually some Cowboy (Guardian) displays in summer but nothing at this time of year, actually most of SMDLM will be closed although the Fritter opposite the pizza shop is still open.

Our last visit was October last year, doubt we'll get there next week as we plan to go to the Jura fishing.

If you have the chance then it's certainly worth a visit, and plenty around the area as well.

 

[magicsurfbus]

Aigues-Mortes was our favourite Camargue town (despite its name), two aires when we visited - we used the Marina aire just over the water, not the car park.

As per the photo above I walked the roof of the church at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, which is a gypsy shrine. They have a large gathering in the town at some point(s) in the year. There's a beach front aire, a campsite with a MH compound, a couple of car parky aires, and a long dusty road behind the beach (that sometimes floods) where MHs line up overnight for free. It's salt marshland around so there's bugs. Oh yes. The wild flamingos are worth a look but stay upwind of them as they reek. I rode down the cycle track from the town into the salt marshes one sunny August afternoon and have never felt so dry and dehydrated when I got back - the place literally sucks the moisture out of you when it's hot.

To the east of Saintes-Maries is an aire which is literally on the beach, as in on the sand. You might want to consider wind and tide conditions if you use it.

Arles kept us occupied for a day - we went by bus as there's no aire that we know of. Roman amphitheatre plus other stuff.

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[yodeli]

Been there several times in September hardly ever been biten by mozzies. The eastern end at Plage de Piemanson you can wild camp on the beach make sure you have plenty of water and supplies it's in the middle of nowhere. At the western end if you like Aires and a town that has more Motorhomes than residents and every other shop is a restaurant there are 5 Aires at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, we like the wild one at the eastern end of town. In the bull ring local ranchers put on horse displays that are well worth going to. Although we like hills and don't like flat & boring we love the Camargue.
I believe the Aire at Aigues-Mortes is closed but I think there is one by the campsite a little further out.

Wild on the sand at Plage de Piemanson
View attachment 192010

The Aire we like at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
View attachment 192007

A bit of fun on the church roof at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
View attachment 192008

As I said , it has been particularly hot , between 27 and 30 this last few days and mossies haven't gone to sleep. Also you've got to be aware that there's a species evolution and migration. We're having lots of problems with the tiger ones. My mum 78y old, got bitten so many times she couldn't get out of her house at all!

 

[Lenny HB]

Aigues-Mortes was our favourite Camargue town (despite its name), two aires when we visited - we used the Marina aire just over the water, not the car park.

The Marina one has been closed and the car park has height barriers

To the east of Saintes-Maries is an aire which is literally on the beach, as in on the sand. You might want to consider wind and tide conditions if you use it.

Last time we were there had the coastguard banging on the door shouting "Evacuate Misure" the photo above was taken the day before.

 

[Teuchter]

The main attractions are the Camargue horses as well as the bulls. There's usually some Cowboy (Guardian) displays in summer but nothing at this time of year, actually most of SMDLM will be closed although the Fritter opposite the pizza shop is still open.

Sorry @Ridgeway Have to disagree with you there Mon Ami - SMDLM is open for business as usual and actually fairly busy as of yesterday!!!!

We left Saintes Maries de la Mer Yesterday 13th Oct - nothing closed - all open and busy including shops, restaurants, boat trips to the rivers and inland "safaris" through the Camargue!

Also on 29th of Sept we witnessed the spectacular "running of the bulls" by the Guardiens along the beach track to the East of the town and through the town to the Bull ring Arena and indeed the next day there was a full programme of Bull Fighting "Camargue style" (where the bull is not harmed but the matadors may be) in the same Arena

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[Ridgeway]

There's more open in summer, trust me

 

[Robert 314]

Thank you very much one and all for your kind help. I've made copious amounts of notes and now I'm getting excited. Bring on the mossies...got loads of spray for me and the dog. Spritely Islanders...if I knew how to reply I would have. Hope your all well. One day we'll get to share a bottle or two. Thank you once again every one. X

 

[cliffanger]

We went to restaurants in Aigues Mortes with the @Mousy s and they issued Deet sprays with the menues!

Some interesting artwork in one restaurant though......

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