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cycling |
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self guided |
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La Camargue: wild flatlands
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A land of wild and open spaces, this cycling adventure stretches from the Roman town of Arles to the Gypsy influenced Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the Mediterranean Sea. Along the way you’ll be immersed in the heart of the park of the Camargue: extended flatlands of rice paddies and salt pans, sparse farmhouses and windswept fields. White horses trot through the marshes, black bulls graze in their farms, thousands of flamingoes, egrets, and herons paint the skies in their graceful flight. Through the Camargue you reach the secret beaches of one of the few remaining untouched coastlines on the Mediterranean. |
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| Day 1 : Arles and its many treasures
Arles
Your Provence cycling adventure begins in the heart of Arles (Saturday market). On the banks of the Rhône River, Arles harbours a remarkable wealth of Roman monuments, including its majestic coliseum, and emits a warm and authentic charm. Dinner on your own. Night in Arles.
Day 2 : Introduction to Camargue: wheat fields, rice paddies and vines
Arles > Le Sambuc
- About 33km cycling -
Biking across the Rhône River, the flatlands extend as far as the eyes can see: wheat fields, rice paddies, orchards and vines, country roads lined with small canals bordered by bamboo, poplar and willow. Between the hamlets of Gageron and Villeneuve you can go wine tasting at the Domaine de Valériole estate. You cycle through bull and horse farms that line the huge marshlands of the Vaccarès. Herons, ducks, and egrets, soar in the soothing blue sky. At the Mas de Capelière, an interesting nature path presents the different natural environments of the Camargue. Your accommodation is a hotel of the highest standards: a traditional Provencal farmhouse on a working horse and bull farm, complete with an arena. Diner and night in Le Sambuc.
Option: Private horse ride: guided by the estate cowboy within the domain, amongst the herds of bulls (2h)
Day 3 : Pink Flamingoes and the Sea Wall
Le Sambuc>Etang de Vaccarès>Digue à la Mer>Saintes Maries
- About 32km cycling -
Your cycling holiday continues due south, through vast expanses of rice paddies and marshlands, where you enter the heart of the Camargue Nature Park. The lagoons are untamed and carry on as far as the eyes can see, harbouring clumps of the precious few plant species that can survive the salt-rich waters. The salt crystals on the cracked earth shine like diamonds in the Mediterranean sun. You then bike along the sea wall, a thin strip of land in between nowhere and the Mediterranean Sea, where you can enjoy the sparkle of the sea in the most natural of settings, and perhaps the sight of one of the thousands of flamingoes that nest in the region. Soon you will catch a glimpse of the bell tower of Saintes-Maries de la Mer, and the white-washed homes of the town whose Gypsy spirit lies in the patron saint Sara: her raft drifted to these shores 2000 years ago from Palestine, her remains said to be in the church that dwarfs the rest of the town (market on Mondays). Dinner and night in your hotel, 1,5 km away from the town centre of Stes Maries de la Mer.
Day 4 : Bull farms of the petit Rhône
Stes Maries>Arles
- About 26 km cycling -
25 km of easy pedaling up the Petit Rhône riverbank: watch out for the lovely typical Camargue houses, with their reed and thatch roofs. Through the marsh flatlands, you cycle to the Pioch Badet Estate, from where you head south between the expansive ponds, to the Saintes-Maries: here a swarm of birds, there black grazing bulls… and farther white horses trotting through the sands. Private taxi transfer to Arles (30-45 min). End of your Provence cycling adventure.
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| Included |
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- 3 nights double occupancy with private facilities
- 3 breakfasts, 1 picnic lunch, 2 dinners
- Day 4: transfer by taxi from Stes Maries to Arles
- Luggage transfers days 2 to 4
- 3 days bike rental
- Our Road Book with detailed walking itineraries and a map.
Not included
Lunches & dinners not noted in itinerary, entrance fees into museums, insurance, drinks, items of personal nature
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| Highlights |
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> flat-as-as-pancake riding through the vast salt flats of the Camargue
> untamed wilderness under the flight of flamingoes
> bull farms and white Camargue horses
> the in-the-middle-of-nowhere town of Saintes Maries de la Mer.
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| Hotels |
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| Le Calendal |
The hotel is a short walk from Arles' many treasures. A 17th century building opens out to a peaceful garden, under the shade of a 300-year-old hackberry tree. 38 Provençal rooms overlook the cobbled streets, the Amphitheater, the Antique Theater, or the gardens. A quaint restaurant for lunch. Possible spa and water basin to relax. |
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| Mas de Peint |
Jacques Bon, the owner, raises horses & bulls on his farm. In this renovated XVII-century farmhouse, you'll be welcomed in an authentic and refined "Camargue" atmosphere. The 8 rooms are elegant and comfortable. In the charming dining room, you can watch the chef preparing a fine meal, in a friendly atmosphere, just like at home. Swimming pool, terrace and an infinite property of private grounds in the wild Camargue marshlands. |
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| Les Arnelles |
Nestled in the heart of the Camargue Nature Park, the charming hotel is in complete harmony with its natural surroundings. Wooden pontoons between reeds lead to the 12 rooms and their small terrace. You will be welcomed in this atypical setting where rest and relaxation await. The hotel proposes horseback riding and a swimming pool. |
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