Landscapes
The Alpilles mountain range forms a natural barrier about 25 kilometres long, stretching from east to west in the northwest of the Bouches-du-Rhône department.
Covering an area of 50,000 hectares, it is a low-lying limestone massif with jagged peaks overlooking deep ravines. This rugged landscape, whose physiognomy is due to the erosion of the white rock, gradually transforms itself into a fertile, green plain to the south, planted mainly with vines and olive trees.
To the south of the Alpilles, the Camargue extends over 145,300 hectares, bathed to the west by the Rhône and to the east by the Durance. It is bordered to the south by the Mediterranean Sea. In this landscape, whose highest peak is only four metres above sea level, there are numerous wetlands that shelter a unique and fragile ecosystem.
Plains
To the north and south of the Alpilles massif lie large fertile plains that have been developed by man since time immemorial. They have cultivated vines and olive trees here from ancient times to the present day. Vast areas are also reserved for sheep farming, such as the Roquemartine plain, where the famous Alpilles lamb is bred. Alas, urbanization tends to nibble away at these wild spaces and replace crops with residential areas.
If you go further south and down to the great plains of the Camargue, you enter a totally different landscape, made up of marshes and beautiful wetlands. In a triangle bounded by Arles, to the north, Grau-du-Roi and Fos-sur-Mer, lies a vast territory in the heart of the Rhône delta shaped by the fresh waters of the Rhône and Durance rivers that flow into the salty waters of the Mediterranean. Here is the domain of rice fields, bulls and wild horses.
In the very south, the étang de Vaccarès announces the sea and makes the junction with it.
Caves
There are countless caves in the Alpilles massif. It must be said that the elements have worked hard to provide the first men settled in the area with safe shelter from the ferocious beasts. And as in Provence, everything is a matter of legend, writers like Frédéric Mistral did not hesitate to make witches and fairies live there.
But not all caves are natural. Some come from the exploitation of building stone. Thus the Carrière de Lumières is an exceptional site, housing a digital art centre that offers incredible virtual exhibitions, with astonishing projections on the white walls.
Ponds
With more than twenty ponds, the Camargue displays its status as a wetland. These natural reservoirs are refuges for the local fauna, some species of which are emblematic of the region, such as the pink flamingos.
However, two ponds are particularly important for the ecosystem:
L'étang du Vaccarès
This is the largest pond in the Camargue. It covers 6500 hectares and is located in the commune of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Less than two metres deep and 12 kilometres long, it is the main element of water regulation in the Rhône Delta. It is also an important stopover for migratory birds. Swimming and fishing are regulated there.
L'étang du Fangassier
Much smaller than the previous one, it stretches over 3.3 kilometres south of the étang de Vaccarès. It is a unique place in France where nearly one hundred thousand pink flamingos gather, when the time comes, to raise their young. Guided visits are possible, in particular with the Bureau des Guides Naturalistes (BGN).
Marais
The marshland of the Beaux is, in a way, a link between the Alpilles and the Camargue. Indeed, this area, classified Natura 2000, extends to the south of the Alpilles Park and has landscape, ecological and agricultural characteristics that already prefigure the neighbouring territory. Drained at the end of the 19th century, leading to a noticeable impoverishment of the local fauna, the old marshland sometimes comes back to life during heavy rains. Indeed, the area is still floodable, as it is one of the lowest in the region. When this happens, some of the dry springs may start to flow again.
Littoral
The Camargue stretches its coastline for almost 70 kilometres. This means that there is no lack of space to admire the deep blue sea, laze on the fine sandy beaches or take part in the most varied water sports. If all the beaches of the Camargue are beautiful, some of them are not to be missed.
The beach of Piémanson
It is a very beautiful six-kilometre long beach, located west of the Grand Rhône, accessible by the Salin de Giraud. It has no infrastructure, apart from a first-aid post and a few street vendors in the summer. A part is reserved for naturists. The landscape is timeless, with dunes bristling with coastal plants as far as the eye can see.
Beauduc beach
To reach this immense beach of fine sand, totally isolated from the rest of the world, is well deserved. In fact, you have to travel a bad gravel road for almost ten kilometres before reaching this little paradise. Beware, a regulating gauge prevents large vehicles (over 2m 10) from passing. Other bans are in force, especially concerning 4x4
The beach of Espiguette
It is a beach particularly popular with tourists and locals alike. Located in the commune of Grau du Roi, it stretches over ten kilometres with dunes as far as the eye can see, giving it a little bit of a Sahara feel. The Espiguette beach is home to a very fragile fauna and flora. For this reason, it is partly protected by the Conservatoire du Littoral. This beach is the scene of many film shoots and photo shoots.
Les plages des Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
Accessible in a few minutes from the village, the beaches of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer are small sandy beaches with a family atmosphere. Indeed, the locals do not fail to go there, as soon as the weather allows it. There are also several private beaches with comfortable facilities.
