Touring France in a motorhome Day Twenty Five Can you cycle around the Camargue area?

September 22^nd   – day twenty-five

Is there good cycling around the Camargue?

We opt for a cycle ride out across the Petite Rhone area. This is cycling paradise – flat, beautiful, plenty of interesting things to see, great wildlife and several well mapped and marked trails. We even get a free ferry ride across one of the tributaries thrown in. Whispering reeds, rushes and pampas grasses. Glimpses of hidden waterways and herons, bitterns and more.

We had a lovely coffee stop at a roadside café/restaurant. The only customers as he had just opened, the bar tender was keen to show us his old photographs of the region from the early 1900’s. What fascinating insights they gave to a life long gone. He was in some of the photos as well as a young boy. A visual history of bull and cattle breeding and an agricultural way of life almost gone. Our host was dressed like a traditional Camargue cowboy horse rider, complete with hat and leather apron. None of us spoke each other’s language but through mime and pointing we managed to work things out about his life history in the photos.  

More cycling, through salt flat areas where the impact of the summer drought was there to see. Deep hexagonal cracks in dried out saline surfaces. Displaced flamingos and egrets and then regular glimpses of what we mistakenly thought were beavers. Maggie had a close roadside verge encounter with one eating a fish. Ever the biologist, she was thrilled. They ply the little roadside streams scattered across this area and cyclists just whiz along without taking a closer look at these natural habitats. If you cycle these routes play attention to the little rivers and streams immediately alongside your road. Teeming with all sorts of wildlife, if you go slowly and quietly enough!

 Back at the campsite, the mosquitoes once more take their savage toll. I’m severely bitten again. The buggers actually penetrate long sleeved shirts! My arms and legs are red raw and covered in angry red lumps. Nothing works; not citronella candles, not insect DEET. These mosquitoes are BIG, they are mean, nasty and out to get me personally! Having travelled extensively in east and west Africa, I have never been attacked this badly before. Ho hum! All part of life’s rich tapestry of experiences, I guess!  

We managed to get 15 miles per battery stage today because it is so flat. Theoretically I should be able to get 75 miles out of my battery tomorrow!   We also saw storks today in the distance. I’m startled out of my thoughts on the day by Maggie suddenly bolting from her chair.  A big mouse has just run across her feet, surprising her. She dashes for the moho door and inside safety, throwing a look at the mouse, who clearly has no sense of personal danger awareness. Given that is the same look she gives me when I have done something wrong, I advise the mouse in a low whisper that it should turn tail and run for home, fast! 

We decide after this experience to dine out and we stroll along the waterfront beach to the main strip of cafes and restaurants. It is clear the Camargue region hasn't embraced vegetarianism. Hardly surprising given it is a centre of cattle and bull agriculture! Not a single restaurant has a vegetarian option. Eventually, after much trudging up and down the main areas, where upon, Mag promptly consoles herself with a large mojito!

The mosquitos? They followed me all the way in to town and back again! Have I said how much I hate mosquitoes?

Useful information:

Cycle route and distance:  see maps at top of post  - cycled 30 miles today