THE CAMARGUE

The Camargue, a magical word, is the land where people live with horses, bulls, birds, sky and water. A magical land of unspoilt natural spaces, a fragile sanctuary of flora and fauna that are exceptional in Europe, protected by the Camargue Regional Nature Park, it is a unique landscape. Situated between the two arms of the Rhône (a delta: the large Rhône to the south-east, the small Rhône to the south-west), the Camargue is a vast wetland area of around 100,000 hectares, the largest in France and also one of the most secret. It is divided into three very distinct zones: the farmlands to the north of the delta, the salt marshes to the west and east, and the lagoons to the south.

The Camargue is also an area that has been shaped by man, in particular by the damming of the two arms of the Rhône and the sea, and the development of adapted agriculture such as rice growing and salt harvesting. Around a hundred manades are devoted to breeding Camargue horses and bulls. The horse is first and foremost the gardian's companion, but also his working tool. Human intervention has also led to the protection of the environment, with the creation of a nature reserve and the Regional Nature Park, as well as sites open to the public.

The Camargue is also an ornithological sanctuary, with almost 400 species of bird recorded here, including the pink flamingo, the symbol of Camargue birds. You should take your time to explore the Camargue by following the signposted footpaths or cycle paths, or by riding a Camargue horse, which makes an ideal mount for equestrian tourism.