France - Aigues Mortes and Parc Camargue

My husband and I have travel business in August/September of this year in Zurich and Grenoble. We have some time at the end of our trip (~4 days) to get to explore. I particularly like areas with more ambiance and "beauty", and he particularly likes to travel with culinary interests in mind.

In reading about options here, I stumbled across Aigues Mortes and Par Camargue which sound fascinating and beautiful. Touring the salt marshes sounds fascinating (read - pretty and food oriented). And the city seems really great as well. I'd love to hear reviews, suggestions, stops, etc about this particular area, as I've not found all that much in the forums here. Is 4 days a good amount to spend in this area?

Also, in considering our flight home, Initially we had planned to travel back to Zurich for round trip back to US, its about $200 more to fly out of Marseillas, and a couple hours more for the extra stopover, but it doesn't seem an easy transport back to Zurich from that area, is this correct?

I'm all for enjoying nature but I believe that 4 days exploring the Camargue is at least 2 more than needed. The only time that I visited it, the GF and I just didn't find it impressive and spent only one day driving around the park and stopping in locales like Saintes Maries de la Mer. The experience would undoubtedly been more fulfilling if we had engaged an escorted horseback tour but the landscape becomes very flat and boring in no time.
The good news is that there are nice beaches in the area although Aug. is high national vacation time and towel space can be at a premium. Also, you have terrific options of sights to see within 1-2 hours car drive.
Some basic info here (http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/south-france-villa-rental/domaine-du-versadou/map-camargue.htm).

the landscape becomes very flat and boring in no time. Well, the flatness is part of what makes it atmospheric. That said, I have to agree for I would struggle somewhat with four whole days entirely in the Camargue in the narrow sense.
OTOH, as you suggest, there is plenty of other things/places to visit very nearby. Arles, as the eastern entrance to the Camargue is worth visiting in its own right and so is Nimes on the other side. A little further North, there is also Avignon. If the OP is more interested in rural than uban areas, the areas north of Nimes towards Uzès is also worthy of a visit. On that basis, 4 days (or even more) is OK

As to getting back to ZRH from that area, yes, it is not the most straightforward. It is a fairly lengthy drive so I would avoid that. By train, you are talking of a 7 to 8 hours train journey with at least one change (in Geneva). Once you had the cost of getting back to ZRH, a good chunk of your $200 will already have been eaten up anyway (if not all of it and some more) so you might as well fly back from Marseille and get an extra day holiday rather than spending it traveling back to Zurich. Not sure how you intend to get from Zurich to Grenoble but do not plan on renting a car in Switzerland and returning it in France as it would cost you a fortune. OTOH, what you could do is rent a car on the French side of GVA airport and return it at MRS. IIRC, neither Avis nor Hertz charge for oneways within France.

I've been in Camargue / Aigues Mortes last august on holiday and I think it really deserves a trip. If possible, as said I would add 2 days.

I suggest you also pay a visit to Parc du Luberon, which is all made of red-yellow ocre sand in different tones, a really suggestive atmosphere.

I have uploaded a very few pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75889757@N03/
These may give you an idea what to expect. The all-flat area with flamingos is the parc you mentioned.
Also there's plenty of historical roman cities worth a visit (Arles, Nimes, Avignon...).

One thing about the food, my experience is that to find really good food you have to stray off the beaten path, that is, don't expect to find anything exceptional in the centre of a city (14€ for a french pizza is definitely not my idea of good food).

As a side note, I would avoid Saintes Maries de la Mer like the plague if what you're into is landscapes, nature, and quiet. That is the touristic place of Camargue and it's packed of tourists.

cheers
straniero

straniero, photo 0081 is spectacular.

Bobette

straniero, photo 0081 is spectacular.

Bobette

awww thanks! :cool:

Was in this area just over a week ago. We drove to but didn't go into the old town of Aigues Mortes. It is fairly new and we found nice and quainter walled towns to visit on our 8,000 km trip. Certainly won't discourage you from visiting though.

As for the Camargue, it is currently very dry (winter?) A lot of the normally marshy areas were dry and we had better luck finding flamingos along the lagoons and beach resorts further west in Languedoc Rousillon. Hope August is better though it is hot/humid and there are lots of pesky insects (mosquitoes and midges). Either walk/cycle along the dikes or ride on horseback as has been suggested.

As for food in the Camargue, it seems taureau as in the spanish toro (black bullfighting cattle) is the specific regional specialty.

How odd, I subscribed to the thread, but this is the first I've gotten an e-mail about it! Sorry for my delayed response, after a couple of days, I didn't think it'd get responded to!

Ok, so one thing, is that outside of a day or two inside the Camargue, the rest we are open to suggestions.

straniero, your photos are wonderful! Thank you for sharing, this makes me even more excited to go! Parc du Luberon is a fantastic suggestion, and looks really very exciting, thank you!

YVR Cockroach, which town did you stay in? We are looking for lodging and would gladly take recommendations.

Finally, OT perhaps, and excuse my naivety, but the glorious photos of french lavender fields, is there a specific location for those or even a general region? I dream of those! ;-]

YVR Cockroach, which town did you stay in? We are looking for lodging and would gladly take recommendations.


Not very glamorous at all but we stayed in the Hosterie Pont de Gau at Pont de Gau which is just outside Stes Maries de la Mer (as noted, very touristy but it is also actually inhabited rather than a (un)seasonally-empty holiday resort). It's a Logis hotel (www.logishotels.com) (group of independently-owned family hoteliers where the owners are resident). Hotel isn't much to write home about. 1 star out of 3, only 9 rooms, smaller than your average motel in N. America (but the bathroom did have a bidet) but it does have a/c and is a destination restaurant of sorts (as are many Logis). And they don't speak any English (one of the staff even wrote things down as she had a thickish local accent that French and foreigners alike may have trouble understanding).

We did want to stay at a chambres d'hotes (similar to but not quite a B&B - our preference in rural France) but many were closed for the season. The Camargue mas's (mas is a term for small farm holding in southern French) are also pretty expensive.


Finally, OT perhaps, and excuse my naivety, but the glorious photos of french lavender fields, is there a specific location for those or even a general region? I dream of those! ;-]

Something I can answer better now. Fine lavender (as in Appelation Controlee) can be grown only at altitudes above 800m so the area is rather limited. The high plateau around Sault (search for the town's tourism website) is a good point to base yourself. There are some chambres d'hotes that are in lavender farms amidst fields and I would definitely pick one of those places to stay in. Just a note, however, that the farmers cut all the lavender when the stalk has flowered to distill so it'll be more than likely every single last flower stalk will have been long harvested when you get there in August/September. I was looking for seed but not one single stalk was left on long enough (I can tell from the lavender being sold).

There are non-AOC lavender fields at lower altitude as well as lavendin (as hybrid of fine and aspic/wild lavender) but same story, all flowers cut by the time you're there.

I've stayed many times in Aigues Mortes, always at Les Templiers. This is one of those small hotels that is so evocative of place. It's family run and offers a great chance to stay in the lovely heart of town. Ask for a room at the back, facing the flower strewn courtyard. Templiers is very provencal in decor and hospitality. Breakfast is classic French. Breads, jams, juice and very good coffee - in a wonderful setting. Food in town is good. If you'd like an interesting local dining experience (one minute from the hotel) turn right leaving the hotel and walk along Rue de la Republique. There is a small bar called Le Tac Tac on your right. Ask for the big board of meats and cheeses to be brought to your table. It will blow your mind. The crowd is great and after dinner there is a stupefying selection of digestifs and single malt scotches. This is très typique -very much not tourist France.

Here's a photo of some folks at the next table: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidovada/6943536405/