The beauty of being back in France after so long is that the country is like a blank page to rediscover.
After exploring the US, distances feel small and within only a couple of hours drive, one can find so much diversity of regions, landscapes and traditions.
To crown it all, in each village and town, there is such a rich history printed in every stone of the old houses and churches.
I am realizing I have missed that a lot!
This first full Summer in France, I have explored places I haven't been in years, with fresh eyes and, as Summer comes to an end and now that I have more time to sit down and reflect the bliss of those escapes, I thought it would be nice to share them with you.
Our first stop is in the Camargue region, a Protected Natural Zone in the South of France, where the Rhône river -one of France's longest and widest- meets the Mediteranean sea, wide and strong.
It's the country of ranches, gardians, white horses, fishermen and flamingos.
A gardian is a mounted cattle herdsman, kind of the equivalent of the North American cowboy. He rides on the iconic white Camarguais horse, a traditional French breed of working horse indigenous to the area.
Like the fishermen, goat keepers, salt workers and sheperds, he used to live in a traditional hut -called "cabane de guardian"- easily recognizable by its low shape, rounded north to face the strong Mistral wind and its reed roof.
On top of the roof there is a cross, for spiritual protection and also useful in case of storms to attach a rope to give the house more stability
Those iconic huts have now been transformed in accomodation and you can find a lot around the village of the 'Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer', which is the heart of the Camargue area and in the marsh, full of wildlife, especially birds and insects and the famous pink flamingos.
I love the narrow winding cobblestone streets of the Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer village, facing the sea, with its boutiques, ice creams vendors and old merry-go-round where you can ride sea horses and other creatures.
The church, build between the IX and XII th centuries is at the heart of the village and has a unique architecture. Inside, the legend of the two "Saints" Marie Jacobé and Marie Salomé is celebrated.
This land has a rich history, vivid traditions still celebrated and symbols.
The Cross of Camargue is one of them: the mix of the cross for faith and the anchor for hope. It's everywhere in the villages, huts, mas of the area. Simple design yet iconic and recognizable.
This destination is perfect for families and kids. The area is beautiful and there are many fun activities to plan like discover the marsh and wildlife, go on a horseback riding tour, visit the Saintes-Maries village and its church, enjoy the sea at the village beach or the pool at one of the pretty authentic hotels in the area. I went there with my youngest 9-year old daughter and she loved every minute of this short and sweet escape.
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