The Étang de Vaccarès and the Réserve Nationale form the core, with observation points around the edges. This is where the greater flamingos are — the Camargue holds the only regular breeding colony in France, and thousands of birds are present year-round on the lagoons.

The Pont de Gau ornithological park is the reliable close-range option: a managed reserve with paths through the marsh where flamingos, herons and egrets are habituated and easily photographed. It is not wild in the strict sense, but it is where most of the famous images come from.

The Salin de Giraud salt pans in the southeast hold waders in numbers on migration — avocets, stilts, sandpipers — against pink salt water, and the sea wall track along them is excellent for scanning.

The reedbeds and rice fields hold bitterns, purple herons, glossy ibis and marsh harriers, with rollers and bee-eaters on the drier margins in summer.

The horses and bulls are semi-feral, managed by the gardians who work the ranches, and are part of what makes this landscape what it is.

Spring, from April to June, is the peak for breeding birds and comfortable weather. Autumn migration is strong; winter brings ducks and a stark, empty beauty. Mosquitoes are serious in summer.

Practicalities

Arles is the usual base, with Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer at the delta's heart. A car is needed; the sites are spread and public transport is thin.

Much of the delta is private land — stick to the designated tracks and reserves. The Mistral wind blows hard and cold for days at a time and can shut down photography entirely.