Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
flamingo, which enjoys the expansive wetlands' mild winters. Equally famous are the
Camargue's small white horses; their mellow disposition makes horse riding the ideal way
to explore the region's patchwork of salt pans, rice fields and meadows dotted with graz-
ing bulls. Bring binoculars and mosquito repellent.
The Camargue's two largest towns are the seaside pilgrim's outpost
Les Stes-Maries-
de-la-Mer
and, to the northwest, the walled town of
Aigues Mortes
.
Inside an 1812-built sheep shed, the
Musée Camarguais
gives a fantastic introduction
to this unique area, covering history and ecosystems as well as the traditional lifestyle of
the
gardian,
Camargue's cowboys. A 3.5km nature trail leads to an observation tower with
bird's-eye views. Find it 10km southwest of Arles on the D570 to Les Stes-Maries-de-la-
Mer.
Get up close and personal with some 2000 pink flamingos at
Le Parc Ornithologique
du Pont de Gau
, a wonderful semiwild nature reserve 4km north of Les Stes-Maries on
the D570.
Two buses leave Les Stes-Maries for Montpellier (€10.50, two hours) via Aigues Mortes
daily in July and August.
NEED TO KNOW
Musée Camarguais
( 04 90 97 10 82; Mas du Pont de Rousty; adult/child
€4.50/free; 9am-6pm Wed-Mon)
; Le Parc Ornithologique du Pont de Gau
(
04 90 97 82 62; adult/child €7/4; 9am-sunset);
Réserve Nationale de
Camargue Office
( 04 90 97 00 97;
www.reserve-camargue.org
; La Capelière;
9am-6pm, closed Tue Oct-Mar)
Arles
POP 52,400
Arles' poster boy is the celebrated Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. If you're
familiar with his work, you'll be familiar with Arles: the light, the colours, the land-
marks, the atmosphere, all faithfully captured.
After Caesar plundered Marseille, which had supported his rival Pompey the
Great, Arles eclipsed Marseille as the region's major port. Within a century and a
half, it boasted a 12,000-seat theatre and a 20,000-seat amphitheatre to entertain
its citizens with gruesome gladiatorial spectacles and chariot races.
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