Camargue : BELLEGARDE
La Camargue is a land of marshes. This formidable nature reserve of 85 000 hectares has the richest fauna and flora in Europe. Remarkable settings of fortified towns, remnants of the past history dating to the first Crusades, Meridional foods, bouziegues oysters, Costières de Nîmes, wines of Frontignan Muscat.
The attractions :
Navigate along the Mediterranean inland waterway with just a single lock on the Rhône to Sète Canal, richness and variety of scenery between la Camargue, Etang de Thau and the Canal du Midi, medieval cities and Gastronomy Meridional, sunny beaches, Le Grau du Roi, Palavas...
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How to get to the base :
Bellegarde is at 17km from Nimes.
Access Motorway A9 (Paris 720 km)
Airport : Nîmes (12km) or Montpellier
Train Station : Nîmes (17km) (TGV Paris to Nîmes : 4 hours)
A 2 day week-end
| Itinerary | Km / Locks |
| Bellegarde / Aigues Mortes and return | 78 km, 0 lock |
Tourist places
Bellegarde : old streets, ruins of Madonne Tower, Market on Friday Morning
St Gilles : Museum of Romanesque houses, end of the XIth century abbey church. Native house of Pope Clément IV ; possibilities of horse and 4x4 rides Market on Thursday and Sunday mornings
Aigues Mortes : XIIIth century fortified city founded by St Louis for crusade departure. Constance Tower, XVIIth century Chapels.
Mini week
| Itinerary | Km / Locks |
| Either sea shore : Bellegarde / Aigues-Mortes / Palavas and return Or nature : Bellegarde / Gallician / Petit Rhône and return |
122 km, 0 lock 1 lock |
Tourist places
See above.
Horse-riding in Bellegarde, St Gilles and Aigues-Mortes
Swimming in the Mediterranean sea in Palavas and in Villeneuve les Maguelonne or on the beaches of L'Etang de Thau
Gallician and its ornithological park
Le petit Rhône : Wild nature
1 week
| Itinerary | Km / Locks |
| Bellegarde / St Gilles / Aigues Mortes or le Grau du roi / Palavas or Lattes / Beaucaire and return Or Bellegarde / St Gilles/ Aigues Mortes / Etang de Thau and return |
165km, 1 lock 200km, 0 lock |
Tourist places
see above + Arles : Greco-Roman city, open amphitheatre of 12 000 places built at Roman period, ancient theatre (1st century B.C..)
Beaches in Le Grau du Roi and Palavas
Etang de Thau : oyster beds
Sète : native town of the singer Georges Brassens, fish :auction sale of the morning catch.
10 days
| Itinerary | Km / Locks |
Tourist places
2 weeks
| Itinerary | Km / Locks |
| Bellegarde / Homps or Le Somail and return | 382 km, 16 locks |
Tourist places
The city of Carcassonne and its gastronomy
The locks of Fonsérannes, the Riquet ways, Cathedrale of Béziers, annual festivals, Homps : cathare country, Le somail : ancient book library