Go France: Anthony Kingwas a little nervous when he saddled up for a scenic tour of this region in the south of France known for its semi-wild horses. But he needn't have worried – his mount turned out to be almost as laid-back as the pace of life there
SUMMER IN the south of France and we’ve arrived at a horse riding centre in the Camargue. It’s eleven in the morning but already hot. A guy strides across the stable yard and greets us with an upbeat “Bonjour”, smile and outstretched hand.
Bernard introduces himself as a guide here at the Centre de Tourisme Equestre. I nervously eye the gray horses sheltering in shade, tails flicking. First time for everything, I say. Bernard selects one of the more plump steeds for me and, with some calm Gallic hand signals, I’ve two reins in hand and a new friend called Yvou (e-vuh).
The Camargue area is famed for the semi-wild horses and bulls which have roamed here for centuries. The gray or white horses are small but strong with good stamina. The bulls have been bred for Course Camarguise, a traditional sport where brave (mad) white-clad rasateurschase a provoked Camargue bull and try pull off its tassels and rosettes. The bull lives to "fight" another day and is celebrated for his skills.
Yvou seems very placid, but the first skirmish ends beneath a tree, Yvou snacking on some tasty reeds. Frayed riding chaps, ponytail and leathered tan, Bernard wags a finger in front of his muzzle, as if chiding a naughty child. “Fast food for him,” he explains. My companion is less kind: “He’s working out what kind of muppet he has on him.” He’s an old timer, 14 years old, and his galloping days are long since over, but he’s crafty enough to take liberties. Bernard, who looks like he was to a horse born, offers a hand.
Our riding tour takes us through typical Camargue scenery of lakes and lagoons, pastures and scrub. The entire area is flat and open, a marshy landscape dominated by wispy straw colours reminiscent of a Van Gogh hay field. Horse riding is the perfect way to explore it, cross country for added adventure. It allows you to get off the road and into the marsh scenery. And there are plenty of riding centres, catering for all levels.
We ride along irrigation channels lined with tall bamboo and reeds, sprayed occasionally with pale blue flowers. We round hairpin and Z-bends, splodge through mud and crouch to dodge low branches. I’m now glad I’m on a horse.
Bernard points to the faded bell tower of a fortified church some way off. It is the church in Saintes Maries de la Mer, an overgrown seaside village that is today the capital of the Camargue. It is named for three saints – Mary Salome, Mary Jacobe and Mary Magdalene – reputed to have arrived here by sea. The Camargue itself is western Europe’s largest river delta, a triangular-shaped piece of land penned in by two branches of the Rhône and the Mediterranean Sea.
Our little troop stops to admire one of the brackish lakes, known as étangs, before plunging stirrup deep into the cool chocolate-coloured waters. I've already flicked some real monsters from Yvou's coat, and the wade across the étanggives relief from biting flies. The white horses splashing through water, nostrils flared, is the brochure picture of the Camargue.
Bernard explains that the coat of a Camargue horse only lightens to pale gray or white after four years or so. Traditionally, French cowboys called Gardians ride the horses to herd the local bulls, a breed sporting dangerously up-swept horns. The bull meat, dark and rich, is served fried or in a beef stew with local rice.
Bernard calls my attention to the wonderful scenery. But I keep one eye on Yvou to pre-empt further off-trail snacking excursions. I’m in charge, sort of. Squadrons of buff pink flamingos, with their gangly legs and taut necks, land on the water ahead and its time for a few pictures.
The Camargue nature reserve is renowned for its wildlife. Just outside Saintes Maries is the Parc Ornithologique, a wildlife centre with walks circling lakes filled with flamingos. These crowd pleasers attract families and amateur photographers, who saunter around the larger lake. Along the trail we were rewarded with the sight of small colourful birds, turning acrobatically in flight – bee eaters. There are also night herons, avocets and marsh harriers.
A boat tour from Saintes Maries, bringing you up the coast and along the Grand Rhône, will take you to one of the cowboy shows in a manade, the local name for a ranch. And in the evening you can chew on the day over bull steak flavoured with local herbs and lashings of Rhône wine, while tuning down to the cantering pace of life here.
Where to stay, where to eat and where to go in the Camargue
Where to stay
Hermitage Saint Antoine. 9 Boulevard Intérieur Nord, 00-33-603-043405, hermitagesa.com. Just inside the old walls, this charming B&B is the only one within the fortified old town. Award winning accommodation with rooms for about €75, all air-conditioned with private bathrooms.
Auberge Cavaliere. Route D'Arles, 00-33-490-978888, aubergecavaliere.com. Set among spectacular scenery, this is a four-star hotel surrounded by saltwater lakes. You can stay either in beehive-shaped chalets or apartments or rooms in the main building. The posh, very French, restaurant has a variety of Provence dishes. In the evening, you can sit on your private veranda, sipping wine, and watch the birdlife and sun set over the water and reeds. Rooms cost about €250 for two people, dinner included.
Bastide Blanche. 1 Bis Rue Camille Pelletan, 00-33-490-970668, bastideblanche.com. Comfortable accommodation in the seaside resort town of Saintes Maries. These modern apartments come with air conditioning and internet access and are central to Saintes Maries' shops and restaurants and close to the beach. Rates start at about €150 for one night.
Where to eat
Le Piccolo. 7 Rue Léon Gambetta, 00-33-490-978282, lepiccolo.camargue.fr. Le Piccolo is a bright, casual restaurant with buffet-style menus and traditional cuisine. There is music every Friday night during the summer. Menu includes paella and bull meat in all its traditional guises.
L'Auberge Cavaliere. Route d'Arles, 00-33-490-978888, auberge-cavaliere.camargue.fr. High-end restaurant in cellar-style setting that specialises in the local bull meat in the Provence style. It's tasty, if a little chewier than your average steak.
Restaurant L'Amirauté. 46 Avenue Theodore Aubanel, 00-33-490-433270, restaurant- lamiraute.camargue.fr. Very much a fish restaurant, with dishes based on loup, sole, turbot and whatever else was caught that day. Nautically themed, with old wood panels and a ship wheel, and with views out to the water.
Where to go
Aigues-Mortes. Worth a tour is the picturesque fortified town of Aigues-Mortes, meaning "dead water". You can stop off here on the way from Montpellier to the Camargue. Aigues-Mortes' medieval walls are exceptionally well preserved. Though built as a seaport in the 13th century, Aigues-Mortes is now five kilometres inland, as the Camargue's boundaries are in constant flux due to the vast quantities of silt and mud unloaded by the Rhône. Irish, British and European tourists mix with locals in the narrow streets, and most succumb to temptations in nougat, biscuit and cake shops.
The bullring. Saintes Maries hosts a bullring by the beach, where Course Camargue is held from March to October. A trumpet call signals the start of the "course". Six powerful black Camargue bulls each spend 15 minutes in the ring while the brave
rasateurs, dressed in white, dodge and grab ribbons from them. The bulls are admired by the locals for their power, agility and intelligence; they survive each course unharmed. The entry fee is between €5 and €15.
Parc Ornithologique De Pont De Gau. (parc ornithologique.com). This bird reserve is located four km outside Saintes Maries de la Mer. Inside there are cages for injured and rehabilitating birds such as kites, owls and eagles. Beyond the aviaries is a wetland reserve with well-marked trails, hides, viewing platforms and artificial lakes where you will see all sorts of birdlife. The walks are excellent and suitable for young children and you are sure to see plenty of flamingoes. The entry fee is €6.50 for adults, €4 for children under 10. Another venue with walking trails through reed beds is La Capelière, located closer to Montpellier.
The Medieval Church in Saintes Maries. Van Gogh sketched this fortified church and its ramparts looming over the village in 1888. Still the focal point of the town and surrounding countryside, its battlements and steeple can be seen from miles away. The church is dedicated to the three Saint Marys of the Sea and hosts an underground chapel devoted to St Sarah, or Sara-la-Kali (Sara the black), a major figure in gypsy culture. In a colourful procession, her statue is carried from the church to the sea on May 24th each year as part of a gypsy festival.
Horse riding. There are a number of centres just outside Saintes Maries de la Mer and the tourist office there provides information on them. You can opt for one- or two-hour trips, half-day and full-day rides. Prices start at €15. A two-hour ride with Camargue a Cheval (00-33-626-395401, camargue-a-cheval.com) on Route d'Arles cost €25.
Boat trip. Take a boat trip from Saintes Maries and see the Camargue from the sea and Petit Rhône river. The town is by the sea and close to the mouth of the river. Companies compete for business along the seafront in the town. Trips take from 90 minutes to two hours. 00-33-490-978472, bateau-camargue.com.
Go thereAer Lingus (aerlingus. com) flies from Dublin to Marseille, a 90-minute drive from the Camargue. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Dublin and Cork to Carcassonne, a two-hour drive from the Camargue.