The Camargue May

Camargue horses come from the Camargue, a wetland area at the mouth of the River Rhône. They constitute a distinct breed, which, like the Camargue bulls, live in semi-liberty. The Camargue horse is one of the oldest breeds in the world, closely related to the prehistoric horses whose remains have been found elsewhere in southern France. At birth they are coloured dark brown or black, but turn white around the fourth year

Riders are called gardians. Gardians are as near to anyone comes nowadays to living the cowboy way of life. They play a major role in guarding Camarguais traditions. They live in traditional cabanes, thatched and windowless single-storey structures furnished with bulls' horns over the door to ward off evil spirits. A guardian's traditional tools are a trident and a black hat.

There's nowhere else quite like Aigues-Mortes. Behind its four rather imposing medieval walls lies a lively little town of shops, bars and restaurants - packed with tourists in summer but with just enough charm to make it the perfect refuge on a sweltering summer day.