Arles & Camargue Natural Park (including Aigues Mortes)｜France

Let's start with a walking tour in Arles where art and history meet in perfect harmony. Roman and medieval histories are to be seen throughout the 1h30 walking tour as well as places that Van Gogh painted during his 14-month stay (Feb 1888 – May 1889).

We will follow the tour by visiting the Camargue Regional Park. In the wild and untouched landscape of Camargue you can observe in their natural habitat the black bulls, pet the white horses and admire over 300 species of wild birds, the most emblematic being the pink flamingos.

Long lunch break (2 hours) in beautiful and historical fortified city of Aigues Mortes.
Aigues Mortes was a royal port from where the French King Louis IX (later canonised Saint Louis) departed for two different crusades to the Holy land twenty years apart. Walk on the 13th century ramparts overlooking colourful salt lakes and visit the tower Constance (entry included).

We then go to the sea side resort of the Saintes Maries of the sea where some followers of the Christ (including the sisters of the Virgin Mary: Marie-Jacobé and Marie-Salomé but also Marie-Magdalena, Saint Marthe and Sarah, saint of the Gypsies) were shipwrecked. The church dates from the 11th Century. Have a stroll on the beach (Mediterranean sea) and visit the church and its crypt.

We then stop for an hour at the local bird reserve, where over 300 bird species can be seen, including cattle egrets, blue herons, storks, and pink flamingos.

Bird reserve park entry included.

We return to Avignon by a different road and go through the city of Tarascon and its imposing castle.