For me, the most attractive thing about Marseille is that it is surrounded by beautiful nature. It takes about two hours by car from Marseille, but since I was in the area, I decided to visit the Camargue Regional Natural Park, which I had always wanted to visit. This is a large wetland of 100,000 hectares, the central part of which is a national nature reserve. It is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, especially white horses, bulls, and flamingos, which are the symbols of the Camargue.
We were not sure where to go in the vast Camargue, but we first went to Aigues-Mortes, located on its western edge. This is one of the most famous salt-producing areas, and we took a petit-tour of the salt-making sites. The tour was organized by a company that produces salt known to all French people as “BALEINE” (meaning “whale”).
We spent an hour and a half in Petit Trang, taking our time and listening to the audio guide as we visited the pink salt fields and the salt mountain, which reminded us of Mt. On the way, we also visited a mini museum of salt and climbed up the salt hill, and were amazed at the beautiful pink salt fields seen from the top!
The salt flats are pink because of the small shrimp/crab-like creatures that live here and a type of algae. The flamingos in the Camargue are also pink because they feed on these. It is hard to tell from the photo, but we were able to see flamingos that were recognizable as pink even from a distance!
In the boutique on the premises, BALEINE’s past packages are displayed, and my French husband was so excited, “This is the one we had at home when I was a kid!” My French husband was excited, “This is the one we had at home when I was a child!
After a very satisfying visit to the salt fields, we will head to the center of Aig-Mort. The center of the town is surrounded by medieval walls. It is a cute little town with flowers blooming here and there.
At night we stayed in one of the buildings within the city walls. This is a three-story hotel with only one room on each floor, but each room is spacious, about 28m2. It is a family-run business, and someone who lives in the neighborhood will come to the hotel when you contact them to receive your key. There is also a key box, so it would be easier for both parties, but we received a warm welcome due to the hotel’s policy of “being a small hotel, we want to interact with our guests and exchange words as much as possible.
Meals are not included in the hotel, but you can eat at a nearby cafe or restaurant, or you can eat in your room what you bought in the neighborhood, since water, coffee, tea, and a little bit of tableware are available in your room. For breakfast I bought something from the nearby morning market and ate it in the comfort of my room.
I did not go into the restaurant in Aig-Mort, but as I strolled around, I looked at the menu outside and saw “Taureau” written all over the place. This is a bull, or a cow that has not been castrated, and it is said to be tasty and rich in flavor. It might be like gibier.
It is unusual for a restaurant to serve bulls because the Camargue is a famous bull breeding area. They are bred for the traditional sport of bloodless (although it looks dangerous in the video) bullfighting.
After a night in Aigues-Mortes, we will head to the Marais du Viguira, which is said to be the best place to enjoy the Camargue’s natural beauty! I headed to the Marais du Viguira, which is said to be the best place to enjoy the natural beauty of the Camargue. The marshes east of the Camargue can be visited on foot, by horse or by carriage, but I chose the carriage. I was sorry for the two horses in the hot weather, but we took our time and toured the site for 2 hours with a guide explaining the site.
The 1200 hectares of the Marais du Viguira are home to 900 species of plants, fungi, lichens, and over 3500 species of flora and fauna, some of which are endangered. There are more than 310 species of birds, and the hazel crow is the largest population in the French nature reserve.
While listening to the guide’s explanation of these plants and animals, and being rocked by the horse-drawn carriage in the hot but comfortable breeze, we came across a flock of pink flamingos soaring in the sky. It happened so fast that unfortunately I could not capture it in a photo, which was a real shame!
The bulls on the menu at the restaurant in Aig-Morte were relaxed and full of dignity in the great outdoors. The white Camargue horses are very friendly and come up to you when a carriage comes by. They seem to be relaxed, but in fact they are very agile and brave horses, and they guide the bulls well together with their guardians.
When I decided to visit the Camargue, I was afraid of mosquitoes. I took every precaution I could so I did not get bitten, but our guide told us that mosquitoes are present all year round because it is a swampy area. If you are going to the Camargue, please take as many mosquito repellent measures as possible!
For three weeks, I enjoyed the city of Marseille and its surroundings in the summer. Although my suitcase was stolen on the train to Marseille, it was not a serious incident, and I got the impression that people in Marseille are more friendly than in Paris. I got the impression that people in Marseille are more friendly than those in Paris, and they honk their horns less frequently than those in Paris. Above all, it is really wonderful that there is so much nature with spectacular views so close by.
I also talked with a person who moved from Paris to Marseille, and he said that he prefers Marseille with the sun and cannot go back to Paris where it is dark and the people are cold. I understand what he is saying, but it is up to each individual to decide.
Overall, my stay in Marseille has dispelled quite a few negative memories of Marseille, which were quite intense 11 years ago. However, during my stay in Marseille, a young male staff member who works with my husband was attacked by young men on the street and although he was not injured, his phone was stolen. I would be very careful about theft as in Paris and even more so, but if I have the chance to visit Marseille again, I am sure I will be more excited to come back.
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