CARAVAN CAPERS

DIGUE DE LA MER WALK

Spent the morning rambling round the town, browsing the brocante and looking at food places, then the afternoon we walked along the Digue (Dam) and saw hundreds of flamingos on the far off lakes of the Camargue, saw a couple of horses and a string of riders heading into the wild. A hot day today!

ROY BROWSING THE BROCANTE

Afternoon photos:

MORE FLAMINGOS!!

PARC ORNITHOLOGIQUE DE PONT DE GAU

In the afternoon we walked miles round this wonderful parc. A steal at 7.50 euros.

Thousands of flamingos, herons galore, egrets, avocets, snipe, storks, eagles and red kite that had been rescued, and Ragondin or otherwise Coypu! Like giant Rats, not nice! Saw them swimming at first then on a deserted part of the walk there was one sat in the middle of the trail.

The area reminded us a lot like the Florida Everglades and we kept expecting a gator to pop out!

A super day!

HERON

GREAT EGRET

STORK

SNIPE

AVOCET

LITTLE EGRET

COYPU

LE CAMARGUE BATEAU TRIP

We took the hour and half boat trip to discover the mysterious and unspoilt Camargue from the sea and le Petit Rhone.

We saw hundreds of grey herons, egrets, pink flamingos and the Camargue taureaux and horses. Did you know that the Camargue horses are born black and change to white with age.

We witnessed a “manade” a show of bulls and horses presented by a herdsman. We had to smile as just before this, I'd said to Roy – the captain will be phoning now saying – let the horses out! And sure enough they did! Here in the Camargue they keep the bulls and horses all together.

A good way to see the wild areas and only 12 euros!

egret on its back

Egret tree

ferry

SAINTES MARIES DE LA MER IN THE CAMARGUE

We took the motorway almost non stop to the Camargue. Easy driving and not expensive! 28 euros.

I had a vision of the Camargue – quiet, relaxing, peaceful..... we arrived in Stes Maries on the Sunday of a festival weekend. The village was heaving, the campsite very busy but it was a big one so no problem getting a place. We walked into the village and saw the bull ring full of cheering people watching the afternoon show.

Lots of shops, restaurants and open air food stalls made for an interesting wander round. We paid our 3 euros to go up the 50 steps to the church tower for a birds eye view and clambered around on the stepped roof – would most certainly not have been allowed in the UK!