Only bulls and horses - The Camargue Part 1.

Actually, a bit more than bulls and horses - donkeys, flamingos, herons, egrets, stork, swans, geese etc.!

Jim has always wanted to visit the Camargue and this was his opportunity. We planned two days there with one overnight in Arles. We had hoped to see Arles plus the Camargue but things don't always work to plan.

We rose early and were on our way by 8 am. We arrived in the tourist office in Arles around 10 am, booked our room and set off for Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, a town on the south coast of the Camargue. En route we stopped in the Musee de la Camargue to learn about life in the Camargue - cereal farming, rice farming, salt farming, bull rearing on manades (bull farms) and the Course Camarguaise, a kind of bullfight that does not end in bloodshed.

We continued on our journey, eyes peeled for the white horses and small black bulls for which the Camargue is famous.

First view of black bulls in the distance.

Closer.

First view of white horses.

A donkey that spends time with the white horses and that will end up as Saucisson de l'Ane!

On the run!

The Camargue is one of Europe's major wetland regions. It is totally flat - what a change from the Luberon where we spend every day up and down hills!
This is an example of the wetland.





A recommended stop on our way to Les Saintes Maries de la Mer is Le Parc Ornithologique du Pont-du-Gau, a bird reserve where most birds in the Camargue live and where, twice a year, over 350 species of migrating birds stop off on their journey north or south. So we stopped off on our journey south! It was well worth a visit as we got a great walk, a lovely fresh sandwich lunch and lots of birds and photo opportunities.

Black stork

Eagle Owls. They are huge!

A heron and many egrets.

As above!

Now Jim is happy! 

The pink skinny legs are fantastic!

Flamingos - in case you weren't aware!

Un flamand!

Pretty flamingo!

Plusieurs flamands!

Short-toed Eagle.

Grey heron.

You can just about spot an egret.

Flamingos etc. in the distance.

Egrets.

Ibis (with black heads) and egrets. Ibis in Australia never looked as good as these.

Egrets.

 There was une Buvette (Snack bar) at the park and it was around lunchtime so we had a lovely fresh baguette sandwich each in the most tranquil setting and watched the birds. The statuesque bird is a grey heron, in front is a big goose, egrets and ducks and an unphotograped sparrow was flying around the tables looking for crumbs. Ideal picnic!

Egrets.

Goose takes centre stage.

Close encounters of the black stork!