Camargue La Crau and Les Alpilles - France

Before entering in the Mediterranean Sea, the River Rhone branches out into a delta to create a large coastal marshland called the Camargue. As one of the most diverse, bird-rich and accessible wetlands of the Mediterranean basin, the Camargue is deservedly a classic destination for naturalists. With the stony steppes of La Crau and the white limestone hills of the Alpilles only a few kilometres away, it would be hard to find a greater natural diversity in such a relatively small area.

The wetlands of the Camargue
The Camargue is 140,000 hectares large and within its boundaries there are several smaller protected areas. The area is dominated by a mosaic of salt, brackish and freshwater lagoons, riparian woodland, rice paddies and saline meadows. The lagoons are home to the famous semi-wild Camargue horses and the largest Flamingo population in Europe. There are many other marshland birds, particularly during the migration periods. Resident breeding birds include numerous herons (Night, Purple, Squacco) and egrets (Little, Cattle), Flamingos, Bitterns, Avocets, Stilts, various Terns, Gulls, Ducks and a plethora of songbirds (see our guidebook for more details).

The stony Plateaux of La Crau
La Crau covers 11,500 hectares. It lies just east of the Grand Rhone, is a completely different world: a dry, treeless, stony plateaux clothed in herbs and grasses with a birdlife reminiscent of the arid regions of north Africa. The steppes are home to Stone Curlews, Little bustards and even the pin-tailed sandgrouse - this is its only European breeding site outside the Iberian Peninsula.

The limestone hills of the Alpilles
The impressive limestone hills of the Alpilles border the Crau plain to the north. In spring, the flowery scrub with its many butterflies and orchids are a feast for the eye. The rich cliff-breeding bird community includes Eagle Owls and several pairs of Bonelli's Eagle and Egyptian Vulture with the spectacular Wallcreeper adding a dash of colour in winter.

The many Provence villages, and the beautiful Roman towns of Arles and Avignon, create a tranquil atmosphere and harbour a wealth of cultural treasures, making the Camargue region equally attractive for the cultural tourist, as it is for naturalists. It is one of those regions that one just has to visit.

The Crossbill Guide to the Camargue, La Crau and Les Alpilles (2006) introduces you to this fascinating region and provides you with routes to discover the area on your own.

A visit to the Camargue area can easily be combined with a visit to the Cevennes National park, just north of Nîmes and to the Mont Ventoux near Orange. Alternatively, you can also travel east into the Provence and further to the remote Alpine park of Mercantour on the Italian border.














Photography top to bottom: Salt Marshes, CGF - Dirk Hilbers; Horses, CGF - Dirk Hilbers; Greater Flamingos, Saxifraga - Jan van der Straaten