In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · France
Saintes Maries de la Mer
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
Half a day is enough to see the church and the beach; stay one night if you want to explore the Camargue by bike or horse. A day trip from Arles (45 min drive) works for most.
Saintes Maries de la Mer is the small capital of the Camargue, a flat delta of salt flats, marshes and wild horses. The town itself is a single street of souvenir shops and seafood restaurants behind a wide beach. The reason to come is the Camargue: the bird park, the white horses and the annual Gypsy pilgrimage in May. Most visitors arrive from Arles for a half-day or a single night.
- Country
- France
- Local name
- Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded, hot), late May (pilgrimage week, very busy)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–130 excl. bed · High €130+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–3.00 |
| Baguette sandwich | €6–10 |
| Seafood platter (plateau de fruits de mer) | €20–40 |
| Beer, draught | €5–8 |
| Ice cream cone | €3–5 |
| Bike rental, half day | €12–18 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MRS · Marseille Provence
- About 1 h 15 min drive; shuttle bus to Arles then local bus (check)
- MPL · Montpellier Méditerranée
- About 1 h 30 min drive
Typical fares
- Arles → Saintes Maries, bus
- about €2–3, about 45 min (check)
- Taxi from Arles
- about €50–70
- Bike rental, full day
- about €20
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable. To explore the Camargue, rent a bike (several shops on the main street) or drive. A car is the most practical way to reach the bird park and the wild horse areas.
See and do
Known for
- Camargue nature reserve
- Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau
- White horses and black bulls
- Gypsy pilgrimage (late May)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Arles | Car via D570 and D35, about 45 min; bus (check) | About 1 h |
| Aix-en-Provence | Car via A54 and A8, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Cassis | Car via A54 and A50, about 1 h 30 min | About 2 h |
| Saint-Martin-de-Crau | Car via D570 and D35, about 30 min | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Town centre
- Walking distance to the beach, church and restaurants; most hotels and guesthouses are here.
- D570 road (approach road)
- Hotels with parking and better restaurants; a car is needed to reach the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kohm-byen |
| Where is the bird park? | Où est le parc ornithologique ?oo ay luh park or-nee-toh-loh-zhik |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-yay par kart |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-syohn, seel voo pleh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Mosquitoes are fierce at dusk, especially near the marshes: bring repellent.
- The pilgrimage in late May fills every room months ahead; book early or avoid that week.
- Most restaurants serve frozen or reheated 'local' dishes; ask locals or drive to the D570 hotels for better food.
- The beach has strong currents; swim only in the marked area when the lifeguard is on duty.
Very safe town; the main risks are mosquitoes (bring repellent) and the beach currents. Watch your belongings on the crowded pilgrimage days.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Saintes Maries de la Mer yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Camargue nature reserve
- Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau
- White horses and black bulls
- Gypsy pilgrimage (late May)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Saintes Maries de la Mer, revision 4973935 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4973935
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Saintes Maries de la MerSaintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US consulate is in Marseille; most other countries have embassies in Paris and consulates in Marseille.
Check
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/saintes-maries-de-la-mer). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.