Page 500 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

EXPERIENCE Provence and the Côte d’Azur through the lagoons Église de Notre-Dame-de-la-

Flamingos wading
of the Carmargue

2
THE
is the focus of a huge and
colourful gypsy festival in
May. Parades, horse races and
CAMARGUE Mer, with its black Madonna,
flamenco dances celebrate
the village’s three patron
saints, Mary Magdalene, Mary
Jacobe (sister of the Virgin)
! F6 k Mont pellier-Méditerranée, 90 km (56 miles) E £ and Mary Salome (mother of
@ Av Paulin Talabot, Arles n Mas du Pont de Rousty; parc- the apostles James and John).
camargue.fr
The mighty RhÔne meets the Mediterranean in the
Camargue, a delta of reedbeds, wetlands and marshland 3 "'
pastures where half-wild white horses and black cattle Parc Ornithologique Aimargues
roam. At its heart is the vast Étang de Vaccarès, part of a de Pont-de-Gau St-Gilles-du-Gard Petite Rhône Mouriès
network of channels and lagoons edged by a seemingly Arles
endless arc of beaches. ⌂ RD570, Pont-de-Gau Le Cailar
# 10am–6pm daily Musée de la St-Martin-
de-Crau
¢ Weekends in Jan, 1 May L ANGUEDOC - Maison du Riz Camargue
∑ parcornithologique.com R OUSSILL ON
1 The lovely carved façade is all Viewing platforms and PR O VENCE
that remains of the original
St-Gilles-du-Gard building, which was founded aviaries let visitors get close to Aigues-Mortes GARD
by Raymond IV, Count of flocks of wading flamingos Méjanes Villeneuve BOUCHES-DU-RHÔNE
n 1 pl F Mistral; www.
tourisme.saint-gilles.fr Toulouse, in the 12th century. and herons, as well as many Plaine de la Mas
unusual birds, in this 24-ha Petite Camargue Étang de Vaccarès Thibert
Perched on the northern edge (60-acre) expanse of lagoons, Camargue Parc Ornithologique La Capelière
of the delta, the small town 2 pastures and reedbeds. Petite du Pont-de-Gau Grand Rhône
of St-Gilles-du-Gard is the Plaine de la
12th-century gateway to the Les Saintes-Maries- Rhône P ar c Natur el Camargue
Camargue. It is noted for its de-la-Mer R égional de
C amar gue
many festivals devoted to n 5 ave Van Gogh; www. Did You Know?
local music, culture, produce saintesmaries.com Saintes-Maries-
de-la-Mer
(including fruit from its famed The salt pans in the Salin de
apricot and peach orchards) Miles of long sandy beaches southeast corner of Medit err anean Golfe de Beauduc Étang de Giraud
and black bulls. In the heart of stretch either side of this easy- the Camargue produce Fangassier Port
St-Louis
the old town, the Abbaye de going seaside village, full of 800,000 tonnes Sea Golfe
St-Gilles is a UNESCO-listed restaurants and shops selling of salt a year. Domaine de la Palissade de Fos
étape on the Santiago de colourful Camargue ceramics
Compostela pilgrimage route. and textiles. The 9th-century 0 kilometres 10 N
0 miles 10
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