This self guided short break cycling trip links the towns of Saint Rémy and the Roman town of Arles, to the Gypsy influenced Saintes Maries de la Mer on the Mediterranean Sea. Along seldom-used roads and accompanied by the scent of thyme and rosemary, you’ll ride in the footsteps of Van Gogh, in the plains and hillsides of Provence, through olive groves and vineyards and explore the Camargue : a land of wild open spaces.
You cycle through Provence's history all the way to the Regional Natural Park of the Camargue: extended flatlands of rice paddies and vast salt marshes, sparse farmhouses and windswept fields. White horses trot through the marshes, black bulls graze in their farms. Thousands of flamingoes and herons paint the skies in their graceful flight. From the Camargue, you reach the secret beaches of one of the few remaining untouched coastlines on the Mediterranean.
Your trip begins in St Remy de Provence, an artists' town where Van Gogh spent the last year of his life. Explore the artsy Saint-Rémy de Provence & the museum of Van Gogh's paintbrushes. Head into the sunlit hills to discover the remains of the Roman town of Glanum.
Meals included : none
Night : Saint Remy
Market on Wednesday & Saturday morning in St Remy
+33 (0)4 86 65 00 20
contact@intura-travel.com
It’s a short and easy morning ride. Following the contours of the Alpilles mountains on quiet, narrow roads, you reach the ruins of a Roman aqueduct. From there you have a short climb before a picturesque and leisurely descent to Arles. Enjoy a free afternoon and stroll through Arles, the "Rome" of Provence with its lively streets and remarkable wealth of Roman monuments, including its majestic coliseum. This small city emits a warm and authentic charm. 
Your day’s journey takes you due south, through vast expanses of rice paddies and marshlands, where you enter the heart of the Camargue Nature Park. The lagoons are untamed and carry on as far as the eyes can see, harbouring clumps of the precious few plant species that can survive the salt-rich waters. The salt crystals on the cracked earth shine like diamonds in the Mediterranean sun. You then veer right along the sea wall, a thin strip of land in between nowhere and the Mediterranean Sea. Soon you’ll catch a glimpse of the bell tower of Saintes-Maries de la Mer, and the white washed homes of the town.
You can split the cycling ride in two between Arles and Saintes Maries de la Mer and book an extra night in a "5* Prestige manade" - a traditional horse & bull farm of the Camargue : a unique experience and a real insight into the life of the Camargue cowboys who give the area a Wild West aura ! 
End of your trip after breakfast. Enjoy Saintes Maries de la Mer and the wild beaches on the Med sea
25 km of easy pedaling up the Petit Rhône riverbank: watch out for the lovely typical Camargue houses with their reed and thatch roofs. Through the marsh flatlands, you cycle to the Pioch Badet Estate from where you head south between the expansive ponds to the Saintes-Maries: here you will find flocks of birds, grazing black bulls and native white horses trotting through the sands. 