Download the Leaflet of Le Parc Naturel Régional De Camargue
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the Park the A new life is being invented… Discover Beaches and reed beds, It is also France’s only nesting site for the flamingo, rice and wheat, the salt its world-famous emblem. And then there are ponds and the Mediter- the bulls, horses, beavers, owls, gulls, terns, ranean - the Camargue herons and wading birds. Regional Nature Park is multifarious. The Camargue is a subtle blend of contrasts, Born out of a struggle between river and sea, the both entrancing and ever-changing. It reveals Camargue, in biological terms, is one of Western itself in a multitude of ways, depending on the Europe’s richest regions, and an important time of day and the season. There are always ENGLISH stopping-off point for migratory birds as they go surprises in store for the visitor. back and forth between Europe and Africa. Enjoy your visit… ORANGE 18 Flamingo reproduction site (Étang du Fangassier) Some of the Camargue’s animals A9 AVIGNON The natural heritage For more than 20 years, the Camargue Regional Nature Park has been managing the only site in France where flamingos reproduce, at Fangassier, NÎMES A7 owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral. The Bureau des Guides Naturalistes, 25 Parc naturel régional in partnership with the park, the Office de Tourisme in Arles, the Tour du Valat and des Alpilles SALON-DE- The Camargue National Nature Reserve the Conservatoire du Littoral, organises visits, during the nesting season, PROVENCE MONTPELLIER ARLES (Réserve naturelle nationale de Camargue) to one of the western Mediterranean’s largest flamingo colonies. A54 > MARSEILLE With its 13 000 hectares of ponds, lagoons Étang du Fangassier - Salin-de-Giraud. Opening times : 1 April to 30 September. Parc naturel By reservation only, in the Arles and Salin-de-Giraud tourist Offices, régional and salt plains at the heart of the Camargue, de Camargue the Camargue National Nature Reserve is fee charged, tél. + 33 (0)4 42 86 89 77 or + 33 (0)6 95 90 70 48. [email protected] - www.guide-nature.fr - Labelled « Park brand ». among europe’s largest wetlands. It extends MER MÉDITERRANÉE Pond turtle Common scarlet-darter Contact out to the shore, and takes in vaccarès lake. 21 Domaine de la Palissade (Emys orbicularis) (Crocothemis erythraea) It is totally protected, and its visitors will discover some real treasures, notably Here you will find ponds and lagoons that TOURIST INFORMATION 237 species of birds in pristine environments. communicate with the river and the sea, and unique landscapes with a rich variety of flora OFFICE DE TOURISME D’ARLES and fauna. The aquatic environment provides Accueil centre-ville a remarkable habitat for fish and birds. Esplanade Charles de Gaulle - 13200 Arles 17 La Gacholle ligthhouse (Phare de la Gacholle) Walking and riding discovery trails with hides, Tél. +33 (0)4 90 18 41 20 an exhibition room and guided activities. Accueil Salin-de-Giraud One of the starting points for a tour of the sea dyke : 20 km of pathways for Rue Tournaire - 13200 Arles pedestrians or cyclists (but not cars). Although the dunes themselves are out of Salin-de-Giraud - Tél. +33 (0)4 42 86 81 28 Tél. +33 (0)4 42 86 89 77 bounds, the sea is accessible via marked paths. The birds include gulls, terns and [email protected] www.arlestourisme.com flamingos. Exhibition on the subject of the Camargue coast, and an observatory. www.palissade.fr Black-winged stilt Pied avocet [email protected] Opening times : February to November, wednesday to sunday from 9:00 am (Himantopus himantopus) (Recurvirostra avosetta) Opening times : school holidays, public holidays and weekends, to 5:00 pm ; March to mid-June and mid-September to end October, every OFFICE DE TOURISME 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission free. day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ; Mid-June to mid-September, every day from DES SAINTES-MARIES-DE-LA-MER 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Closed in December and January, 1st May and 11th 5 avenue Van Gogh 24 La Capelière November. Equestrian initiation sessions take place from the start of April Some of the Camargue’s plants 13460 Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer to October. There is an admission charge. (to admire, but not touch) Tél. +33 (0)4 90 97 82 55 La Capelière is the Information Centre of the Nature Reserve, where you can www.saintesmaries.com - [email protected] walk a 1,5 km trail that crosses a patchwork of Camargue habitats. There are 29 The Vigueirat marshes National 4 hides including 2 equipped with telescopes to get closer to the wildlife of the OFFICE DE TOURISME PORT-SAINT-LOUIS Nature Reserve (Les Marais du Vigueirat) : AR.Johnson / Tour du Valat, J.Boudoux, A.Chevalier, P.Daniel, J.Roché, Opus Species, E.Vialet/PNRC, M.Mercier / PNRC, SNPN, M.Mercier / PNRC, E.Vialet/PNRC, Opus Species, J.Roché, P.Daniel, A.Chevalier, J.Boudoux, Valat, du Tour AR.Johnson / : marshes, an exhibition, and a shop for nature lovers. Tour Saint-Louis - Quai Bonnardel C 134 de Fiélouse - Arles - Tél. +33 (0)4 90 97 00 97 There is a range of different landscapes : flood 13230 Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône plains, salt plains, ponds and woods, and the Tél. 04 42 86 01 21 [email protected] - www.reserve-camargue.org www.portsaintlouis-tourisme.fr Opening times : 1 April to 30 September, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Camargue’s largest reed beds. An environment [email protected] and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm ; 1 October to 31 March, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, teeming with life, with thousands of birds, and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm (except tuesdays). Closed on 25 December and 4 herds of bulls and Camargue horses : 15 km CAMARGUE REGIONAL NATURE PARK 1 January. There is an admission charge. Labelled « Tourisme et Handicap ». of paths built on piles, thematic boardwalk trails Musée de la Camargue 13 and guided tours for young and old, on foot, by Sea daffodil Strawflower Mas du Pont de Rousty - 13200 Arles The Pont de Gau bird park horse & cart and on horseback (new). (Pancratium maritimum) (Helichrysum stoechas) Tél. +33 (0)4 90 97 10 82 (Parc ornithologique de Pont de Gau) Mas Thibert - Tél. +33 (0)4 90 98 70 91 Domaine de la Palissade Here you can observe birds in a natural envi- [email protected] 13129 Salin-de-Giraud www.marais-vigueirat.reserves-naturelles.org - Opening times : 15/01 to 20/12, Tél. +33 (0)4 42 86 81 28 ronment of 60 hectares. And there are 7 km 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Trails free of charge and open-access. Guided visits www.parc-camargue.fr - [email protected] of paths that link up the marshes, ponds, reed 07 71 02 82 42 I Séverine Bourdeaux- Crédits photos beds, meadowlands, salt plains and irrigation (reservations necessary). Labelled « Tourisme et Handicap » and « Park brand ». channels. The diversity of habitats is matched by that of the birds themselves, both sedenta- 30 ry and migratory, and much has been done to Scamandre Regional Nature Reserve (Réserve naturelle régionale du Scamandre) This document is printed on unbleached facilitate the observation of flamingos, herons, paper, using wood from sustainably- storks, egrets, teals, sparrows, wading birds This typically Mediterranean wetland is exceptional in its biodiversity. A number of Sea lavender Annual Saltwort RÉVEL Communication managed forests. 2016. Vigueirat du Amis des Marais Saint-Louis, Mairie Port Maison du riz, / RégionPACA, F.Baussan / G.Santantonio, G.Rey and raptors. remarkable bird species nest close to the reception area itself. There are 9 species (Limonium narbonense) (Salicorna annua) Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - Tél. +33 (0)4 90 97 82 62 of heron, and the majority of France’s glossy ibises. Protected species include the [email protected] - www.parcornithologique.com European pond turtle. Opening times : April to 30 September, 9:00 am till sunset, and mosquito repellent, sunscreen and water. and sunscreen repellent, mosquito Route des Iscles - Gallician - Vauvert - Tél. +33 (0)4 66 73 52 05 1 October to 31 March, 10:00 am till sunset. There is an admission charge. Between May and October, don’t forget to bring bring to forget don’t October, and May Between [email protected] - www.camarguegardoise.com To explore the Camargue Labelled « Tourisme et Handicap » and « Park brand ». Opening times : tuesday to saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Park only in designated areas. designated in only Park Closed on bank holidays. Free admission (reservation required for groups). unnecessary noise. unnecessary Walking and cycling tours Respect the wildlife, and avoid making making avoid and wildlife, the Respect 8 Home of the Camargue Horse The Camargue Regional Nature Park offers 14 walking ! No fires or barbecues or fires No or cycling discovery tours within its borders, in order (Maison du cheval Camargue) The cultural heritage to observe the full diversity of Camargue lands- paths. Do not stray onto private property. private onto stray not Do paths. Find out about the Camargue horse breed, its history, the way it is raised, capes : from the vineyards in the north to the beaches When walking round the park, remain on the the on remain park, the round walking When its involvement in the management of natural areas, etc. by means of a guided in the south via the salt meadows and marshes. walking tour in the heart of the Mas de la Cure estate. Starting in Arles, Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer or Port- Remember that the dunes are sensitive areas.