Camargue and Pyrenees
The best of France in Autumn

Saturday 8 - Saturday 15 September 2012 (8 days)

Starting with the famous Camargue, with its pink flamingos, white horses and black fighting bulls, and finishing with the grandeur of the High Pyrenees, we visit some of France's very best areas for birds and wildlife in autumn.



The freshwater marshes of the Camargue and the surrounding meadows remain one of Europe's most exciting birdwatching areas. The array of herons is quite outstanding: Grey Herons and both Little and Cattle Egrets are common, and Great White Egret a recent colonist. Raptors are always present in the skies here - usually Marsh Harrier, together with Short-toed Eagle here and there, and Hobby chasing the abundance of dragonflies. Migrant Osprey are also passing through at this time. To the north of the area the limestone hills of the Alpilles with the spectacular hilltop fortress of Les Baux can produce a good variety of raptors, as well as rock-dwelling birds like Blue Rock Thrush, Alpine Swift and Crag Martin. Near to our hotel, the fabled Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard is spectacular in its own right, but has the added attraction to birdwatchers of its colonies of Crag Martin and Rock Sparrow. After four nights here we travel across the south of France to the High Pyrenees. Amidst some of Europe's most inspiring scenery can be found a selection of really choice mountain birds. Lammergeier patrol the cliff-faces effortlessly, along with Griffon Vulture and Golden Eagle, and both Red-billed and Alpine Chough. From our base we can choose to drive up many of the passes and to the magnificent Cirques, or corries. The most famous of these, at Gavarnie, is one of the great mountain sights of Europe and not to be missed, but there are many other less busy areas that are equally stunning. Some of the lower valleys can also be worth visiting for several species, but given fine weather our aim will be to visit the higher areas whenever possible.

Accommodation
 Our base for the first three nights is a 2-star hotel (all rooms en suite) just outside the Camargue. In the Pyrenees, we stay at a fine hotel in Luz St Sauveur (3-stars, Logis de France 3-cheminŽes) with all rooms en suite, in a quiet area just away from the busy part of the town.

Numbers: Max. 12 clients

Price: £ 1,745
Single supp.: £ 245
Deposit: £ 300 per person

The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of 7 nights' accommodation as detailed above, meals, incidental tips, return scheduled flight London- Marseille/Toulouse-London*, admissions, and leadership.

The price excludes holiday insurance, drinks (please note that wine is included with meals) and other personal expenses.

*For an ex-flight cost (ex-Montpellier/Toulouse) please deduct £135 from the tour cost.

Principal Leader: Mike Read

the Camargue and Pyrenees map

Outline Itinerary
Days 1-4 We take a scheduled flight from London to Marseille. We will collect our minibuses there and drive to our hotel just outside the Camargue for an evening meal. We have a very flexible programme with some optional early morning excursions. Four nights Camargue
Days 5-7 We drive to Luz St Sauveur in the French Pyrenees. Four nights Luz St Sauveur
Day 8 We drive back to Toulouse for the flight back to London.

Click here for a full, printable itinerary