Page 233 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

SPECIALIST HOLID A Y S AND OUTDOOR A C TIVITIES  231

A game of pétanque in full swing, this is still a favourite pastime in the region
favourite sports include Gorges du Verdon from and of these, over 20 are
paragliding (parapente) and Carrejuan Bridge to Lac de 18-hole courses. Some of the
hang gliding (deltaplane). For Ste Croix, which usually takes best are located at the Frégate
more information, contact the two days to cover. La Palud course, St Cyr, St Raphaël’s Golf
Fédération Française de Vol sur Verdon is the best base for de l’Esterel and, close to Avignon,
Libre. Gliding (vol à voile) is whitewater rafting and kayaking the Golf De Châteteaublanc.
popular in the southern regions, on the rapids. For less challenging Most offer lessons provided by
where the climate is warm and canoeing, try the River Sorgue, resident experts.
the thermals are also good. starting from the base of the The Provence Golf Pass gives
For details of gliding clubs, high cliffs of Fontaine-de- access to 13 courses in the
contact the Fédération Vaucluse. For more information, five departments, including five
Française de Vol à Voile. contact the Fédération green fees. For golf addicts and
Française de Canoë-Kayak. occasional golfers alike, this is
an excellent way to sample
Bird-Watching the courses available. For
Canyoning
The Camargue is a twitcher’s comprehensive information,
paradise. The information centre The Grand Canyon du Verdon, contact the Provence-Alpes-
at the Parc Naturel Regional de Europe’s largest canyon, can be Côte d’Azur Regional Tourist
Camargue provides detailed visited by raft or on foot. It has Board or the Fédération
information on bird-watching. It now become a centre for Française de Golf, which can
also organizes walks within the adventure sports. The Castellane supply a list of courses in France.
area and has a glassed-in section, Tourist Office provides lists of Most of the resorts and towns
where it is possible companies offering canyoning, have their own tennis courts
to observe birds rafting and other outdoor trails. that are open to the public.
through binoculars. For Many of these are traditional
more information contact Mediterranean clay courts.
the tourist board in Arles Fishing Tennis lovers converge at
(see pp148–50) or the tourist Fishing is a highly Monte-Carlo in April, when
office in Stes-Maries-de- popular sport on the International Tennis
la-Mer (see p141). permitted lakes and Championships come here
Bee-eater, common rivers. Local tourist for the Monte-Carlo Open
in Provence offices and fishing tournament for male players.
Petanque/Boules
shops can help
An emblem of Provençal life, you obtain a licence. You can
this favourite game of the local experience bountiful sea-fishing
men is rarely played by women. in the Mediterranean, with
Somewhat similar to bowls, it is catches that include bass, sardines,
played with small metal balls grey mullet, and crustaceans,
on any dusty ground surface. such as crayfish and lobster.
Although the rules are simple, Night-fishing is becoming
it can be very competitive with increasingly popular too.
a touch of ferocity, making it
interesting to watch.
Golf and Tennis
There’s a great variety of golf
Canoeing in the area, from high-altitude
Canoeing is popular in the huge courses to links facing the sea,
Lac de Ste-Croix in the National or clinging to the fringes of
Regional Park of Verdon. The cliffs. Overall, there are around
most famous route is the 24 km 30 courses, mainly in the Canoeing in the Gorges du Verdon, an
(15 miles) paddle down the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Var exhilarating experience