Gateway to wild Camargue, LA GRANDE MOTTE is the most famous of the new resorts on the Languedoc-Roussillon coast with its Pyramid-shaped buildings surrounded by pine trees and flowers... It is aptly named "the Garden of the Mediterranean Sea". This is a lively town offering fine sandy beaches...
IN and AROUND LA GRANDE MOTTE: The vast salt water lake of Vacares and its birds reserve, The fortified city of Aigues Mortes (ancient medieval port), Saintes Maries de la mer, the caves at Clamousse, Nimes, Arles and their Roman arenas, Avignon...
OTHER ACTIVITIES > Watersports : sailing, wind-surfing, deriveurs, catamarans, rowing,water-skiing, parascending, scuba-diving. > Golf : three golf courses including the famous 18-hole "Flamants Roses". > 33 tennis courts of which 2 are covered and 2 are for young children. > Mini-golf. > Mountain biking. > Archery. > Skateboarding and rollerblading...
> "Espace Grand Bleu" water park : indoor complex with sprots pool, whirlpool, sauna, etc. and outdoor complex with wave pool and beach, giant jacuzzi, slides, etc. > Panoramic aquarium. > Colorful and authentic market twice a week during the summer season. > Entertainment at the bull-fighting arena all summer long.
Languedoc is ideal for lazying in the sun. Its sandy beaches run along the Golfe de Lyon in the Mediterranean. It offers a wide choice of small salt water lakes and resorts known throughout Europe. Travelling more inland, you will be amazed by the region's architectural heritage : Romanesque and Gothic churches aplenty, rich Renaissance-style facades and courtyards from private mansions. You will love Languedocian gastronomy including sweet Muscat wine and oysters from Etang de Thau. Further down south is Roussillon with at its centre, Perpignan, a town rich in cultural treasures. The coast has a string of lively resorts and marinas. For the gourmet, the local cuisine is just impossible to ignore with cool fine rose wines to drink after a day spent basking in the sun...Truly unforgettable§
Be a guest to one of the world's most exclusive tables. France, land of gourmets and culinary arts, offers a bewildering array of food and wines from delicious simple fare to exquisite haute cuisine. With over 340 sorts of cheese and 450 quality wines France will satisfy every palate. Beyond gastronomy, from North to South France sparkles with an incredibly rich cultural and historical heritage of famous castles, churches, cathedrals and museums carefully preserved and restored which makes it one the most sought afterand enthralling destination for holidaymakers from around the globe. France takes prides in the rich and diverse tapestry of its magnificent landscapes which have been celebrated throughout the centuries by its many famous writers, poets and artists in words and creations so many of which have become part of the world's cultural heritage and still inspire today's travellers to discover it for themselves. Whether you are looking for a relaxing beach holiday or want to commune with Nature, whether you wish to step back into history or are searching for an active sporting adventure, France will welcome you with open arms, seduce you with its warmth and entertain you with its wide range of attractions enabling you to achieve that perfect holiday.
A word of advice from Lagrange: French roads are excellent, but not free, so keep some euros handy.
The CAMARGUE plains stretch over 8500hectre in the Rhône delta, and include the towns of Arles and Saintes-Marie de la Mer. The region is characterised by wild landscapes, paddy fields, herds of black bulls and droves of white horses. This is an ideal location for tourists to go rambling, horse-riding, and visit local "manades" (bull farms); or take a 4x4 excursion, or boat trip on the Rhône river for visitors who are feeling a little less engergetic.
The Camargue area also remains steeped in traditions and folklore, and tourists are strongly advised to make time for one of the region's many festivals that take place, often focused around horses, or even check out a bullfight for a truely unique holiday experience.