Things to remember:
- The ferry crossing was smooth and uneventful and we arrived in Toulon at around 7.00am.
- I got out of the city asap and breakfasted about 45 mins away next to the Paul Ricard F1 circuit. There was what sounded like a practice session (not F1) underway but after the tranquility of Sardinia it made for an interesting change and I actually didn't mind it. Neither did a roller, who - in spite of the caperings of racing drivers - happily flitted about in the pines directly above the camper.
- I'd dreaded the traverse of Marseille (it's been awful both times I've done it before) but this time serendipity lent a hand. The satnav delivered me to some toll barriers at a tunnel entrance and - with no escape - I tapped my card to the tune of €3.20 and promptly disappeared underground. About 2.5k later I reappeared at the correct end of the wretched city. Huzzah! It would have been useless for the truck though: 3.2m was the max height permissible.
- As I approached the Camargue I saw three very distinctive red and yellow prop-driven sea planes flying in close formation and performing all manner of what looked like high-stress manoeuvres. It would appear I'd chanced upon some practice scooping performed by The Canadairs: an airborne fire-fighting concern that operates as far out as Corsica at least. It was an impressive display, for sure.
- Back in the Camargue, then. It was great to arrive back in a positively moderate 25°C. As soon as I'd entered the fabled region I was once again immediately surrounded by overwhelming sights and sounds of the natural world. In a very short time I'd re-seen most of the species that I'd seen on the way out, plus a new one in the form of a western green lizard. And it wasn't even lunchtime!
- Post lunch I took a local ferry service over the Rhône (€7 - pic) and then spent the entire afternoon bumbling about various lanes, tracks and viewing spots just trying to see whatever I could. The range and abundance of wildlife is just amazing and I added a few more to my outbound-Camargue list in the form of little tern, sparrowhawk, gull-billed tern white admiral butterfly and a hobby - that I watched taking dragonflies on the wing.
- I had a bit of a pootle around post-tea tonight to see if I could see any crepuscular species. And I did! I saw another night heron.
- At my intended overnighting spot now. It's not especially brilliant but puts me where I want to be for an early morning bike ride / pratincole quest. I'm saying it's not especially brilliant but I may have been spoiled. There's an awesome amphibian chorus going on and bee-eaters were still on the wing until about 9.20pm, and warbling.
