Carmargue?
 

Hello- I am planning my dream France trip for Summer, 2007. The Carmargue sounds fascinating. It appears from my research that it is doable from Arles, using bus service? Once there, it also sounds as if hiring horses or a jeep (or???) is easy to do? This will be in mid-July and I assume very busy. I also read the mosquitoes can be horrific. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!

From Arles it is very doable indeed. You should think about renting a car for the day - that gives you the flexibility to visit the town main villages (Stes. Maries and Aiguemorte). And you'll see plenty of places along the way for taking a horse out into the swamp.

Yes, by mid-July things are hopping down in the Camargue - tourists about as prevalent as mosquitos !

-Kevin

I recently took an extended trip to the area. I stayed at a friend's home in LUNEL. It is a non-descript town, although lovely and with nice people living there. I noticed accomodation rates were extremely low, since there is really nothing in the town. However, Nimes, Avignon, Arles and many other towns are a stones throw away. I think it's a good base for which to visit the surrounding area. The two claims to fame for Lunel, are that 1- It was the home of Karl Marx, and 2- It is the home of Perrier water.

Arles is a good base for visiting the Camargue (not spelling). In summer, there are numerous firms offering guided tours by various means of transport, including horses and boats.
My only visit was from Arles, using the public bus service to Saintes Maries de la Mer; even in December, the town had visitors and offered a good choice of restaurants. I went for a long walk to the Petit-Rhone at Sauvage.
There will be numerous web sites with useful information.
Try www.parc-camargue.fr.

sglass, we had the pleasure to attend a Camargue wedding and stayed 5 days just outside Saintes Maries de la Mer August 2006. We were told about the mosquitos and brought repellent. We never saw or felt a mosquito, the reason??? Every day the winds were blowing so strongly no mosquitos could land Great for our comfort as tourists but a terrible problem for wearing a hat to the wedding ;;)

It was also much cooler than expected for the first week in August. Certainly the expected weather is hot and humid.

Having a car will get you on the small roads throughout the Camargue. Many of the horse rentals can be found along D38 & D85. We were on a ferry crossing the Petit Rhone that also had riders boarding with their horses to cross the river and continue their ride.

I hope you can fit the Camargue into your visit. Saintes Marie de la Mer and Aigues-Mortes are wonderful places to visit as well. Deborah

I was also wonderful to see the wild flamingos in that area.

The Camargue is well worth a visit... including Aigues Mortes, one of my favorite weekend places to go.

The mosquitoes can be horrendous - salt marsh ones that can leave nice welts. The worst time of day for them is a dusk. But if there's a Mistral, they're no problem

For information on Jeep ‘safaris’ in the Camargue – March through October
www.safari-robert.com
I know they have an office in Arles - perhaps do departures from there

Patricia