Ornithology stay in Camargue
Amateur or a professional ornithologist, our local naturalist guides will take you to the best spots.
Ornithology stay in Camargue & Alpilles – 7 nights / 5 day excursion / English speaking
in collaboration with Frédéric & Christophe Bureau des Guides naturalistes.
Birdwatching and discovering nature reserves. Explore the golden triangle – Camargue-Crau-Alpilles.
25 February to 3 March 2024 (too late…)
28 April to 5 May 2024 (complete)
8 to 15 September 2024 (end of summer/migration)
24 Nov. to 1 Dec. 2024 (late autumn/early winter in the Camargue)
Each season has its own charm. During the winter months (from November to the end of February), the clarity of the view offers excellent observation conditions.
Next dates
Dates in 2024
From Sunday 25 February to Sunday 3 March 2024 (too late…)
From Sunday 28 April to Sunday 5 May 2024 (complete)
From Sunday 8 September to Sunday 15 September 2023
From Sunday 24 November to Sunday 1 December 2024
What is the price for the Camargue & Alpilles nature holiday - 7 nights/ 5 days excursion
The price per person in a double room is 1500 euros *.
The price for a single room is 1700 euros.
Special price if 9 to 12 participants (on request, as it has to be calculated).
The group is generally made up of 6 to 8 participants. We can easily take up to 12 people if one participant is prepared to add his or her own vehicle to the minibus.
As a rule, this is an international group – The languages of communication are : English -French-German
- What the price includes :
7 nights in a comfortable room at the Maison d`hotes Envie de Sud with private bathroom with shower, washbasin and WC. - 7 breakfasts, 6 to 7 dinners at the table d`hôtes with aperitif and wine, 5 lunch boxes at midday, during the excursion in the Alpilles there is also a picnic in the evening or depending on the weather we go to the restaurant.
- The birdwatching tour guided by Frédéric or Christoph, including minibus transport, is organised from Sunday to Friday. Tips for the guides are also included.
*We do not coordinate bed bookings for shared double rooms. A double or twin room must be booked directly by two people together.
Additional costs :
Travel to and from Vauvert.
A little pocket money to go to the café if the opportunity arises…
An optional excursion on Wednesday – there is no programme for this free day. We can give advice or organise a horse ride on Camargue horses…
What is the programme for the week?
The aim of the week is to observe as many species of birds as possible in the Camargue and the Alpilles. This trip is aimed at keen birdwatchers who are aware that they will have to spend at least 1 to 3 hours a day in a minibus to visit the best spots in the Camargue. Between 2 and 8 km of walking per day on mostly flat terrain. The guides speak fluent French and English.
Depending on the weather conditions (heat, wind, cold) and the season, the programme can be adapted at short notice. In summer, it’s possible to leave early… in winter, when the days are shorter, there’s more time for rest and recuperation by the fire, with or without red wine…
Sunday: (day of arrival)
from 3/16pm individual arrival at Envie de Sud
Room allocation, rest, free time
around 7pm: aperitif and dinner at l’Envie de Sud – get to know the group – one of the two nature guides will take part in the dinner
Monday/ Tuesday/ Wednesday/ Friday and Saturday :
Breakfast at Envie de Sud (a little earlier or a little later depending on the season and the length of the day, but usually between 7 and 8 am).
Excursion with Christophe or Frédéric – Over the course of the week, you will visit several nature reserves throughout the Camargue and the Alpilles – the detailed programme will be adapted according to the season.
Picnic lunch – you’ll find a delicious, well-balanced meal (mostly vegetarian) every day in the practical stainless steel box. During the cold season, we’ll also give you a thermos of hot tea.
Return to Envie de Sud in the early evening.
Aperitif and dinner at l’Envie de Sud at the family tableBreakfast & Table d’hôtes (Mediterranean cuisine with at least 4-5 different dishes, cheese platter and dessert, wine, beer, mineral water, evening tea or coffee…all included).
Thursday: (no programme)
Sleeping in?
Breakfast will be served today between 8am and 10.45am.
Possibility of a cultural visit to Nîmes, Aigues-Mortes or Arles or birdwatching on your own.
Your packed lunch will be prepared on request (included in the price).
7.30pm Aperitif and dinner (at the joint request of the group, we can try out a restaurant instead of eating at Envie de Sud – we’ll pick up the bill if all the participants come, because after all, we could also put our feet under the table… but this is only an offer – we would of course be delighted if participants preferred to enjoy our culinary talents – vegetarians or vegans should be prepared to restrict themselves for an evening at the restaurant… meatlessness is not yet widespread in the Camargue…)
Sunday: (departure day)
8/ 9 a.m. Last breakfast together with the birds’ new friends.
Packing and perhaps a picnic at the baker’s for the return journey?
Departure before 11 a.m.
What kind of meals do you offer?
Mediterranean cuisine. In any case, all products are from regional organic farming. We do not buy any processed products – everything is fresh and prepared on the spot.
For breakfast, there is an innovative à la carte offer – porridge, classic, muesli, scrambled egg…
At lunchtime Ursula prepares a light lunchbox with salads – perfect to take away as a picnic.
In the evening the group meets at the table d’hôtes, a varied selection of salads and vegetable dishes accompanied by an omelette or some fish, meat or seafood will be served. Ursula places the plates on the table and everyone takes what they want. Then there is a cheese board and a mini dessert. The aperitif and wine are included.
Please inform us in advance if you have any food intolerances or special needs.
What are the booking/cancellation conditions?
Payment: At the time of booking you pay a deposit of 20%. A further 30% deposit is payable 60 days before arrival. The last 50% is due 30 days before arrival.
The trip is guaranteed from 7 persons.
Check-in: Arrival day from 15.00 hrs
Check-out: On the day of departure at the latest at 11.00 hrs.
Standard cancellation: Cancellations up to 60 days prior to arrival are free of charge, cancellations between 30 and 59 days prior to arrival are subject to a 50% cancellation fee, cancellations between 1 and 29 days prior to arrival are subject to a 100% cancellation fee. In case of cancellation, we will immediately put your place on sale and only charge the fee if we have not been able to resell your place. However, we recommend that you take out travel insurance in case of exceptional events such as illness or accident.
Cancellation Covid-19: A cancellation without charge until the last minute is of course possible if travel to France is forbidden by the government. (National lockdown). In all other cases, the standard cancellation conditions apply.
Good to know...2 small rules...
Envie de Sud is 100% non-smoking inside and out. If you wish to smoke, please do so on the terrace in front of the house (rue Broussan).
We do not accept pets – in any case, you would not be able to take them into the natural parks on excursions.
Would you like to enjoy an ornithology stay in Camargue with your group or even your family? A tailor-made trip? Just contact us to discuss it.
Please find the essentials in the attached FAQ:
What is the price for a nature trip for my group?
The price for a double room (2 persons) with full board at Envie de Sud is around 230 Euro/day.
The accompaniment of a nature guide with transport by minibus is minimum 530 Euro per day. You have a maximum of 8 seats in the minibus. But your group can have up to 15 persons.
Plus entrance fees and tickets to the nature reserves (price according to your programme)
In case your group exceeds 8 persons, you need a second vehicle with driver. Either you come with your own or you rent a car/second minibus on the spot. This is at your expense.
Accommodation - how many rooms do you have? How many people can stay?
We have 6 rooms/gîtes. Each with its own private bathroom. In total we have 13 beds in different sizes. The rooms are all nicely decorated and offer great sleeping comfort.
It is possible to rent extra rooms near our house.
We can accept a maximum of 15 people for this type of trip. In fact, it is the dining table that limits the number of participants…
To know more: For this type of trip a group of 8 persons is ideal because this is the number of persons who fit in the minibus and the costs for the accompaniment can be distributed over 8 persons.
But it is of course possible to come with 4 people – in this case you have more comfort in the minibus but the service is a bit more expensive per person.
What kind of meals do you offer?
Our speciality is Mediterranean cuisine, fish, poultry and seafood also accompany our food.
Breakfast, picnic and dinner at the guest table
What size is the seminar room?
The seminar room is 30m2. It is a “multipurpose” room with a table for 12 people and a sitting area with armchairs. There is a 70 inch screen.
For group work: Depending on the season, it is possible to work in the garden around small tables. All year round you can work in the veranda.
Is there wifi and high speed internet?
Yes. There is wifi throughout the house and in the garden.
What are the booking/cancellation conditions?
Payment: At the time of booking you pay a deposit of 20%. A further 30% deposit is payable 60 days before arrival. The last 50% is due 30 days before arrival.
Check-in: Day of arrival from 9.00 am (applies to the common area and the seminar room, rooms are available by 5.00 pm at the latest)
Check-out: On the day of departure from 18.00 hrs at the latest (applies to the common area and the seminar room, rooms must be vacated by 11.00 hrs)
Standard cancellation: Cancellations up to 60 days prior to arrival are free of charge, cancellations between 30 and 59 days prior to arrival are subject to a 50% cancellation fee, cancellations between 1 and 29 days prior to arrival are subject to a 100% cancellation fee. In the event of cancellation, we will immediately put the gîte up for sale and only charge for the days when the gîte is actually empty. However, we recommend that you take out travel insurance in case of exceptional events such as illness or accident. If you wish to have complete flexibility, we recommend that you book at the last minute.
Cancellation Covid-19: Cancellation without charge up to the last minute is of course possible if travel in France is prohibited by the government. (National lockdown). In all other cases, the standard cancellation conditions apply.
Anything else I should know?
- Envie de Sud is a 100% non-smoking area inside and outside. People who wish to smoke are invited to sit on the terrace in front of the house (rue Broussan).
- We do not accept pets for this kind of trips as you can`t take your dog to the nature reserves.