Natural Park Camargue
Camargue is a regional natural park in France, located in the delta of the largest river in France – Rhone, near the Mediterranean Sea. Occupies 857 km2. Created in 1928, at the initiative of the Head of the French National Society for Conservation of Nature, Professor Louis Manzhen. The landscape of the park is a marshland ( a third of the territory – swamp lake ), most of it belongs to salt marshes, sea lagoons.
According to legend, a chapel was erected on the territory of the reserve, by two women, followers of Christ, with the same name – Maria, as well as Sarah – as their servant. The parishioners prayed to the gypsy and believed that she would bring their prayers to her masters. It is from here and now that there is a temple in the Kamarg Nature Reserve called « Gypsy Maria », which was built later in the fifteenth century. Now the church is one of the attractions of the reserve.
The main « live » the attractions of the Kamarg Nature Reserve are flamingo. This is the only place in Europe where these birds nest. Flamingo feed on crustaceans, make nests with dirt and saltwood stems. The reserve has fifteen thousand flamingos, a third of which remain for the winter.
Warm winters and moderately rain summers, this is a great climate for many European ducks ( chicks of whistles, quacks ). Here, European frosts are also waiting for birds such as a grit, a seagull, a bun, an rednosed dive, an auron, a chandelier, as well as a meadow tircle. The overgrown reed is teeming with species of birds such as ordinary drink, small drink, as well as many varieties of heron ( red, yellow, small white, Egyptian ), swamp moon and sweets. The world of birds is the main treasure of the reserve, varieties of which, there are more than 300 birds ( waterfowl, peri-water, predatory, sparrow ). Across the entire territory of the Kamarg reserve, overgrown with reeds and spacious fields, wild white horses roam, and black bulls who absolutely do not need shepherds, since there are no predators. They calmly feel on this earth and only sometimes arrange fights for the attention of females. There is no final version of how these animals appeared here, but scientists admit that they are descendants of Cretan bulls who were brought by Greek colonists.
Fauna Kamarga also charges many mammals - these are hares, boars, shrews, moles, proteins, beavers, hedgehogs and many other species of animals, of which there are more than 30. Overgrown with shrubs, perennial grassy plants, as well as forests of ash, poplar, willow, pine, juniper, gladiolus glades, violets and many salt-loving plants, the Kamarga flora is represented.
The local population of Kamarga likes to organize mass celebrations, which tourists around the world can watch the fights of black Kamarg bulls, as well as theater productions on white horses. In everyday life, the inhabitants of the island are engaged in the cultivation of rice, olives and other environmentally friendly products, produce salt, engage in farming, winemaking, and organize tourism. Kamarg – a place for outdoor enthusiasts, as well as nature lovers. Here you can offer horseback riding, cycling, hiking trails, as well as fishing, and if you wish, you can arrange a barbecue right on the beach. You can also take a full day tour of the territory in a jeep, with lunch included in it or by boat in the water part of the park.
It is worth visiting the bird museum, which is located 4.5 kilometers north of Sainte-Marie. In this small town there is a church, from the tower of which a panorama opens onto the entire sea coast.
Near the park there is a city called Eg Mort, the preserved wall of the city – is its attraction, from the tower of which there is a wonderful view of the Kamarg National Park itself. As a treat, from beautiful Kamarg, your family can purchase natural wine Le Muscat de Lunel and Bel Air la Côte, raw sausages and canned food from local meat, salt with a variety of fillers.
You can get to the Reserve by sea or by renting a car, as well as by bus from the city of Nim or Arl. A time trip will take from half an hour to an hour, depending on which part of Kamarg ( St-Marie de la Mer, Eg-Mort and others ), you want to visit.
