Page 302 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

The Drive » Continue south
4 Étang de until you meet the D36, turning
Vaccarès right. Stop in Salin de Giraud DANITA DELIMONT / GETTY IMAGES ©
for bike hire and fuel (there’s
This 600-sq-km lagoon, a 24/7 gas station) or visit the
with its watery labyrinth salt works. The D36 splits off
of peninsulas and islands, to cross the Rhône via punt,
is where the wetlands but you continue south on the
are at their most dense, D36D, where it gets exciting:
spectacular saltpans appear on
almost primordial. Much your right, the river on your left.
of its tenuous shore forms
the Réserve Nation-
ale Camargue and is 6 Domaine de la
off- limits, making the Palissade
wonderful nature trails Along the D36D, Domaine
and wildlife observatories de la Palissade (%04 42
at La Capelière (%04 90 97 86 81 28; www.palissade.fr; rte
00 97; www.reserve-camargue. de la Mer; adult/child €3/free;
org; permits adult/child €3/1.50; h9am-6pm mid-Jun–mid-Sep,
h9am-1pm & 2-6pm daily Apr- to 5pm Mar–mid-Jun & mid-Sep–
Sep, 9am-1pm & 2-5pm Wed-Mon Oct, 9am-5pm Wed-Sun Feb &
Oct-Mar; c) particularly Nov, closed Dec-Jan) organises
precious. The 1.5km-long horse treks (€18 per hour)
Sentier des Rainettes where you’ll find yourself
(Tree-Frog Trail) takes you wading across brackish
through tamarisk wood- lakes and through a pur-
lands and the grasses of ple haze of sea lavender. It
brackish open meadows.
PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE 27 THE CAMARGuE
will also take you around
The Drive » Continue on the lagoons and scrubby
D36B past Fiélouse for around glasswort on foot, or give
10 minutes. you a free map of the
estate’s marked walking
TRIP HIGHLIGHT trails. Don’t forget to rent
5 Salin de Badon binoculars; best €2 you’ll
spend this trip!
Before you leave La Cape-
lière, grab your permits The Drive » The next 3.7km
for another outstanding along the rte de la Mer is equally beach. Unusually, camp-
enchanting, with flocks of birds
reserve site, once the circling and salt crystals flashing ing is allowed here from
royal salt works (adult/ in the sun. Stop when you hit May to September, and
child €3/1.50). Around the the sea. hundreds of campervans
picturesque ruins are a line up along the dunes
number of observatories TRIP HIGHLIGHT for the duration of the
and 4.5km of wild trails belle saison. It’s a scene
– spy on flamingos wad- 7 Plage de that’s as polarising of
ing through springtime Piémanson opinion as it is spectacu-
iris. True birdwatchers Just try to resist the urge lar. Basic facilities and a
mustn’t miss a night in to greet the Med with a patrolled section of sand
the gîte (dorms €12) here, wild dash into the waves are right at the end of rte
a bare-bones cottage in a at this lovely, windswept de la Mer; head east for
priceless location. the popular nudist beach.

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