Choose this full-day tour to have plenty of time to discover the different faces of one of the most fascinating regions of France. The Camargue being one of the widest river deltas in Europe, it takes time to explore it! This tour will allow you to observe iconic animals as well as discover local legends, traditions and historical monuments. Your guide will stop along the road to give you opportunities to photograph Camargue horses and bulls. We include the entrance fee to the Bird Park, the best place in the region to see pink flamingos from close. Saintes Maries de la Mer and Aigues Mortes are lively little towns with century-old monuments, rich gastronomy and lovely shops. This tour is a real digest of the Camargue!
After a 1-hour drive through rice fields and brackish ponds, during which your tour guide will introduce you to the peculiarities of the Camargue, you will be dropped off at the beautiful Bird Park of Pont de Gau (admission ticket included). Created by a family of nature lovers in 1949, the Bird Park is situated in the heart of the regional nature park of the Camargue, which is how we call the delta of the Rhône river. There's no better place to observe the iconic bird of the region. An easy walk along marshes and ponds, following a well-signed footpath, will allow you to get very close to pink flamingos, that cohabit here with hundreds of other bird species.
The Camargue is also a country of traditions and history. Meet your driver again and head to the charming coastal town of Saintes Maries de la Mer. Discover the legend that led to the construction of the impressive fortified church Our Lady from the Sea, known in France for the celebrations it holds for each Mary's feast, in May and October. The feast held in May draws large numbers of Roma Catholics to the town for a week. They come here to worship the relics of Sarah, their patron saint. Don't miss a visit to the interiors of the church, dating back to the beginning of the 11th century, and enjoy a panoramic view from the sentry walk on the roof (4€/adult). Afterwards head to the beach, where you can go for a relaxing walk along the promenade, where reproductions of Van Gogh's paintings are exhibited, or for a swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Don't forget to taste some local specialties, like seafood, bull meat and rice (lunch not included).
After lunch, meet your guide again and continue the journey through wild landscapes and picturesque farms, ranches and salt marshes. Your tour guide will stop along the way to observe and photograph Camargue horses and bulls. These animals are a fundamental element of the region's culture, where it is not unusal to come across a bull race or a folklore event involving horses.
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Don't forget mosquito repellent!