When the days get cooler, it's time to get on your bike to (re)discover the Camargue : its marshes, its infinite skies and its thousands of birds !
Heading south: towards the Camargue!
Day 1 > Villeneuve lez Avignon – Arles: 55km / +120m elevation gain
The perfect day to get the kids moving! Let's go for 55 kilometers, from one cycle route to another: Via Rhona, Green Way of Pont du Gard, Marinet Green Way. A (nearly) entirely flat, safe route, mostly on a cycle path separated from the road.
On your way, feel free to take a short detour through Montfrin, a charming medieval village, or Beaucaire, known for its magnificent castle and fortress. Located halfway along the route, Beaucaire will be the ideal city for your snack break.
You will then continue across fields until you Arles A magnificent city steeped in history, heritage and local produce, world-renowned for its Photographic Encounters (traditionally from July to September).
Suggestion If you don't want to do this part by bike, you can also take a TER departing from Avignon Centre, which will take you to Arles in just 20 minutes. Find our 2 suggested 2-day loops below.
Overnight stay in Arles or nearby. We recommend the guesthouse at the entrance to the Regional Natural Park: The Mas dou l'Estele , ideally located to start in the heart of nature the next morning.
Day 2 > Arles – Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône: 42km / +30m elevation gain
From Arles, you will rejoin the Via Rhôna, which will take you straight to your destination "at the end of the world": Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone.
We recommend that both amateur and seasoned birdwatchers go there in winter to see the famous common cranes, which stop over from mid-November to the end of February. Although they are the highlight of the show, you will have the opportunity to admire around ten other animal species during your adventure: herons, egrets, wild boars, swans, greylag geese, not to mention the famous Camargue bulls and horses.
Take the time to stop, take out your binoculars and admire the landscapes and its wildlife before setting off again.
As the Rhône delta approaches, the light fades and the light show begins: pink and purple fill the sky, blending with the blue of the ponds and the ochre of the reeds. The Camargue is pulling out all the stops.
You'll arrive at your accommodation at dusk for a shower and some well-deserved rest. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy local specialties such as bull steak or moules marinière, the perfect illustration of this adventure between land and sea.
Our recommendation for the night: Natura Resort – Ecological lodges in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône.
Day 3 > Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône – Arles: 61km / +60m elevation gain
For this final day, you will continue your Camargue immersion: from the sea dike to the salt marshes, you will alternate between water, salt, and marshland. You will then follow theVaccarès PondThe largest pond in the Camargue, measuring 12 kilometers long and covering 6,500 hectares, has been classified as a Camargue Zoological and Botanical Reserve since 1927: a true paradise of biodiversity to be observed discreetly through your binoculars!
You will then walk back up through the fields to Arles, arrival of your micro-adventure! We advise against cycling back up to Avignon: here, the wind often blows from North to South (Holy Mistral!). And getting back on your bike with gusts of wind in your face will really not be a pleasure.
Another possible option: once you arrive in Arles, you can always board a TER train. heading to Avignon 20 minutes later, you will have plenty of time to stroll within the walls of the Papal City and reach the charming village of Villeneuve lez Avignon to discover our listed monuments and our historic old town.
Feel free to contact theTourist Office du Grand Avignon For more information!
Our recommendations foraccommodation on Villeneuve lez Avignon
2-day alternative from Arles
Day 1: Arles to Les Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer – 40 km / +35m elevation gain
From Arles, you can of course do the loop above (103 km over the last 2 days), stopping to sleep in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône. But to vary the pleasures, we have concocted a second version for you, towards Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, slightly shorter (96 km), but just as beautiful! On this route, you will skirt the Étang de Vaccarès from the west, passing from canal to canal, until you reach the edge of the Camargue lands. Here, they say that: “you don’t go to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer: you come to it.” A village at the end of the world, embraced by the two branches of the Rhône, you can’t go any further… welcome to the Capital of the Camargue!
Day 2: Les Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer towards Arles – 56 km / +45m elevation gain
On this second day, you will take the Digue to the sea (which will almost give you the impression of driving on water!), along the Étang de Bataiyolles and the Vignolle. Then you will go back up towards Arles, crossing the salt marshes and nature reserves that are home to exceptional biodiversity. Don't forget your binoculars, it's really worth it!
Preparing for your cycling trip in the Camargue
Choosing the right bike for me
Here are some good places to find your all-terrain bike, electric or not, to reserve or buy before setting off on your adventure.
Shops
Shops
Sturdy and comfortable children's carts are available for rental by Avignon – Les Angles Cycling RouteDon't hesitate to contact them to find out about equipment availability and the compatibility of the trailers with the type of bicycle chosen (rental bicycle from the provider or your own bicycle).
Some tips for a successful cycling adventure with children
- For children under 6 years old, we highly recommend renting a horse-drawn carriage.
- To help your little ones between 8 and 12 years old move forward, consider getting a traction elastic band!
- For a teenager embarking on their first cycling adventure, allow for a reasonable number of kilometers between 40 and 60 km/day.
- For children and adults alike: take regular breaks to rest, eat, and also take the time to admire the scenery!
To become an expert on birds:
- Download our observation leaflet to know everything before you leave.
- Read up before you go the regional natural park website, and especially the birdwatching points booklet.
- Treat yourself to a guided tour on site with the Camargue Naturalist Guides Office.
Going with someone
- Simon CAILLEAU, Naturalist guide based in Avignon and passionate about birds.
Pre-departure briefing option to benefit from expert advice on bird watching and identification.
Contact: 06.32.65.25.12 - Frédéric LAFONT from Provence Bike Tour, an electric mountain bike instructor who also offers guided rentals of electric mountain bikes and scooters.
Contact: 06.52.66.32.41 - Julien VACHER de Provence Explore, cycling and hiking guide originally from Vaison-la-Romaine and passionate about nature, paths and wide open spaces.
Support services are by reservation only.
Villeneuve lez Avignon
From Grand Avignon, it will take you just 55 kilometers (mostly on cycle routes and greenways) to reach the Camargue! A great way to start your adventure with complete peace of mind.
Arles
Here you are at the gateway to the Camargue, ready to set off into the heart of the Regional Natural Park, through its nature reserves, marshes and ponds.
From Arles, you will have 2 loop options: either towards Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône (103 km in total over 2 days); or towards Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer (96 km over 2 days).
Camargue Nature Reserve
From canal to canal, from pond to pond, from the Dike to the Sea to the salt marshes: you enter a wonderful playground to discover the Camargue biodiversity!
We recommend the winter season to observe migratory birds: common cranes but also herons, egrets, swans, greylag geese, etc.
As for flamingos, they will be more visible in summer or autumn, between June and November.
Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone
If you choose option #1, you will arrive in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône via the Via Rhôna; the final section of this Euro-cycle route which links Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea.
A true gateway to the wild Camargue, this port city located at the tip of the Rhône delta will offer you an ideal base to recharge your batteries before concluding your adventure the next day.
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
If you choose option #2, you will arrive at Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer, known as the Capital of the Camargue.
A seaside resort in season, you can enjoy its peace and quiet during the winter period.
A palette of experience
Our other micro adventures
Find our other micro adventures to discover the destination Grand Avignon
