views from marseille

Marseille is the second biggest city of France. The city is located on the shores of the Mediterranean coast. It was founded by the Greeks some 2,600 years ago. Nowadays, it is a lively, picturesque and rundown industrial port city.

Sights include the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, the Cathedral Museum of the Roman Docks, the Puget sculptures at the town hall and 5th-century St.

The Camargue around Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

(day trip)

From Arles, head for Les Saintes-Maries via the Château d’Avignon, an extraordinarily beautiful residence built by a grand bourgeois at the end of the 19th century. Next stop, explore the bird sanctuary at Pont-de-Gau: introduction trails. Lastly, visit the gypsy pilgrimage site of Les Saintes-Maries: romanesque fortified church, windsurfing base and beaches, boat trips out to sea and along the Rhône.For an indepth study of the environment, take the sea wall out to the lighthouses on foot or by bicycle for a better understanding of the delta’s complex network of waterways. (Allow a whole day for this 20km hike/ride.)

Parks and Ranches of the Camargue

(1/2- to 1-day trip)

From Arles, take the road towards Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer to the Mas du Pont de Rousty where you can visit the Musée Camarguais. Exhibitions are completed by a discovery trail. Next take the road to Domaine de Méjanes to explore the world of ranches, bulls and horses: little train, horse riding, etc. Now border the Vaccarès Lake until you reach the Réserve Naturelle de la Capelière: introduction to the environment trails and bird watching. At the end of the circuit return to Arles via the rice fields.