Camargue wild white horses grazing in the marshes near Saintes Maries de la Mer, Camargue, France
Separated from the rest of France by 140,000 hectares of wetlands, pastures, dunes and salt flats, the Camargue is peopled by French cowboys (gardians) and cowgirls (gardiannes) who could have come straight from the wild west. They wear cowboy boots, moleskin jeans, spurs, and wide-brimmed, flat-topped hats. This is Western Europe’s largest river delta, featuring endless brine lagoons - or ‘etangs’ in French. It is protected from the sea by long sand bars and reed-covered marshes, which are home to more than 400 species of birds - including the ‘Greater Flamingo’. Most of the Camargue is designated as a national park (Parc Régional de Camargue). Some of the area is now dedicated to agriculture - to grapes, cereals and the famous Camargue rice. Black bulls are also reared here, for export to Spain. It can be incredibly hot in summer with lots of flies and mosquitoes so bring jungle formula spray. Winds in autumn and winter can be very strong. Other Camarguese animals include sheep, wild boar, beavers, badgers; tree frogs, water snakes and pond turtles, along with a rich array of some 400 types of birds. The Camargue is now a designated World Heritage Site.
Size: 4287px × 2848px
Location: Camargue marshes near Saintes Maries de la Mer . France
Photo credit: © Gary Blake / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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