Getting around the Camargue
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Camargue

Fairly frequent buses run between Arles and Stes-Maries, where you can rent bikes at Le Vélociste, on rte d'Arles at the entrance to Stes Maries (tel 04.90.97.83.26), and Le Vélo Sanitois on avenue de la République (tel 04.90.97.74.56). Canoes are also available from Kayak Vert in Sylvéréal, on RD 38 direction Aigues-mortes (tel 04.66.73.57.17). The other means of transport to consider is riding, as there are around thirty farms that rent out horses by the hour, half-day or day. The tourist office in Stes-Maries has a complete list.

For transport as an end in itself, there's the paddle steamer Le Tiki III, which leaves for river trips from the mouth of the Petit Rhône, off the route d'Aigues-Mortes, 2.5km west of Stes-Maries (mid-March to mid-Nov; tel 04.90.97.81.68), and the Camargue, which leaves from the port in Stes-Maries (April–Sept; tel 04.90.97.84.72).

Be wary of taking your car or bike along the dykes: although maps and road signs show which routes are closed to vehicles and which are accessible only at low tide, they don't warn you about the road surface. The other problem is theft from cars. There are well-organized gangs of thieves with a particular penchant for foreign licence plates.

There are three main walking trails around the protected central area of the Camargue. You can skirt the Réserve des Impériaux along a drovers' path, the draille de Méjanes, between Cacharel, 4km north of Ste-Maries, and the D37 just north of Méjanes. Another trail, with one of the best observation points for flamingos, follows the dyke between the Étangs du Fangassier and Galabert, starting 5km west of Salin-de-Giraud. Between these two is the Digue à la Mer running just back from the beach of Stes-Maries' bay.

If you're walking in the area, be warned that mosquitoes are rife from March through to November; keeping right beside the sea will be OK, but otherwise you'll need serious chemical weaponry. Biting flies are also prevalent and can take away much of the pleasure of this hill-less land for bicycling. The other problem is the winds, which in autumn and winter can be strong enough to knock you off your bike. Conversely, in summer the weather can be so hot and humid that the slightest movement is an effort. There's really no ideal time for visiting the area.