Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and Arles

The ride through the Camargue was mostly along back country roads and these are some of the sights we saw as we rolled along.

The Camargue is a nature preserve and has been kept in a pristine state.  It is a watery landscape with hundreds of varieties of birds, most famously the flamingos, and home to the white Camargue horses which are no longer wild, but in farms and riding stables.

This was a well-kept farm with many of the ponies, who seemed very comfortable with our attentions.  And below, as we rode by, we espied this rider preparing for a show.

We stopped for a while at the Park Ornithinologique de Pont de Gau which is a reserve, but open so that the birds can fly in and out.  There were many herons and of course flamingos.

 

Stork feeding it's young. 

We reached Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer under ominous skies.  A pretty little town, but it's fame comes from the legend that the boat with three Marys, one of whom was Mary Magdelene, arrived on this shore in AD40.  It has been a shrine for pilgrims since as two of the Marys are buried here.

  As we arrived in Arles I was not feeling too well so unfortunately missed the tour.  It is a world heritage site that has many Gallo-Roman antiquities.