Camargue

Situated in the delta of the Rhône River on the French Mediterranean coast, the Camargue Biosphere Reserve is made up of a mosaic of lagoons and represents one of the most important wetlands in Europe. Camargue extends over 930km2 and is the largest river delta in Western Europe. One third of this vast plain consists of saltwater lakes or étangs. Located between river and sea but also between Europe and Africa, the exceptional biological richness of the reserve is illustrated by the 272 species of birds found here. The area is also designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Other habitats include freshwater and saline marshes, freshwater and saline ponds, halophilous steppes and grasslands with glasswort (Salicornia spp., locally called ‘sansouires’), beaches, dunes and woods.