We really enjoyed our recent nature trip to the Camargue. We knew the region a little before this trip as we have visited here a number of times as tourists in the days when we had a motorhome; but this was our first trip here since we have become particularly interested in bird watching.
The week was organised by the speciality nature trip company “Naturetrek” and we have been very pleased with the “Go slow in the Camargue” programme. The administration before the tour was good, the accommodation and food at the hotel was more than adequate for such a trip and the two guides, Marcus John and Neil Murphy, were excellent: they were very knowledgeable, drove the minibuses with care and consideration, produced amazingly good picnic lunches with locally resourced food and drink , had a very good rapport with all the group and made sure everyone saw a fantastic number of birds. Above all they are clearly good chaps and were a pleasure to be with. As well as providing a suitable programme to achieve the programme title of “Go slow in the Camargue” they also offered regular optional early morning walks and late evening sorties. They were the main reasons for the success of the tour.
We visited various local nature reserves, stopped often by the roadside in the marshes of the Camargue, had a trip to the coast to see different types of birds and see the salt works (le Salin de Giroud), did a number of other “touristy” visits to Arles, the Roman aqueduct of Barbegal near Fontvielle, Les Baux de Provence and Le Musée de Camargue – all whilst incorporating opportunities for more bird watching.
Oh and I nearly forgot … those wonderful wild horses of the Camargue:
Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos 