Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
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- | Berth in the small marina where instructed. | + | Berth in the small marina where instructed. The arrivals pontoon is immediately inside the entance to starboard. |
==Marinas & Yacht Clubs== | ==Marinas & Yacht Clubs== |
Revision as of 23:20, 19 January 2010
Saintes Maries de la Mer
(Click links for more information) | |
| 42°43.6′N, 03°02.5′E |
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| [ Photo gallery] |
| [ Local chartlet] |
Saintes Maries de la Mer has been a port since Roman times. It is the perfect harbour for exploring the magnificent landscape of the Camargue, enjoying the thrills of a Camargue bullfight (in which the bull is NOT killed) or experiencing the local cuisine of 'taureau' steaks (massive slabs of bull). The name of the town comes from the legend of the three Marys, Mary Salome, Mary Jacobe, and Mary Magdalene, who were believed locally to have sailed from Alexandria in Egypt with their uncle Joseph of Arimathea and landed here on the French coast. According to the legend, they were accompanied by St. Sarah, the dark-skinned daughter of Mary Magdalene, whose image and story is now revered by the local Roma or gypsies. An annual gypsy festival is held in the town in honour of Sarah each May and long queues form to kiss her image in the local, 10th century fortress-like church.
Charts
Submit the chart details that are required for safe navigation.
- Chart Source
- Chart No
- Chart No
Radio Nets
Also see World Cruiser's Nets
Local Weather
Local weather consists mainly of coastal seabreezes during the summer. However, it is important to be alert to the possibility of a mistrale blowing up, when winds can hurtle down the Rhone valley for several days at up to force 9.
Sources for Weather forecasts:
Like most harbours along this coast, Saintes Maries entrance is hard to identify, especially if coming from the west, when it can be confused with the entrance to Le Petit Rhone a mile before the port. Once safely past the Petit Rhone entrance, the channel leading to Port Gardian is marked by yellow buoys during the season. The entry channel is narrow and depths were reported in January 2009 to have silted to as little as 1.5 metres. Larger yachts should check current depths by calling the port office on +33(0) 468 805 102 before attempting to enter (the maximum boat length is 13 metres). Depths in the marina range from 1.5 to 2.5 metres.
Check-in facilities
Berth in the small marina where instructed. The arrivals pontoon is immediately inside the entance to starboard.
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
The marina of Port Gardian, while small, usually has space for a few visitors among its 487 berths. However, it is wise to call ahead, especially in high season (telephone: +33(0) 468 805 102), as the marina fills up very quickly. Yachts moor stern to pontoons, taking their bow lines to posts (or the reverse if desired). This is a common berthing arrangement in harbours where the full force of the mistral is experienced and you will be glad of the posts if you are unlucky enough to get one. Water and electricity are available at all berths and the marina has the usual toilet and shower facilities. There is a small liftout area and a 15T crane.
Anchorages
None. It's the marina or nothing
Yacht Repairs and Services
Marine Stores
Submit addresses and contact details of marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers.
Repairs/Yards
Fuel, Water, & Electricity
- Fuel
- fuel notes
- Water
- water notes
- Electricity
- electricity notes
Tourism and Things to do Ashore
Tourism
One could easily spend a fortnight in Saintes Maries and still not exhaust the possibilities. The town itself is historic and charming, but much of the attraction lies in getting out of town (a bicycle is a great advantage) to explore the inland lagoons, where herds of wild Camargue horses will be seen, or to visit inland villages dozing in the sun. On the way, you can watch the colourful flamingos and other birdlife, inspect the verdant rice paddies or even saddle up for a ride at one of the many establishments offering 'promenade au cheval'. Once all that begins to pall, you can catch a bus to Nimes to see the wonderfully preserved Roman amphitheatre and temple or to Arles, another important settlement during Roman times and memorable as the city in which Vincent Van Gogh painted numerous scenes before embarking on some DIY plastic surgery. If you are lucky, you may even get to see a Camargue bullfight, more civilised than the brutal Spanish version, in which athletic local youths compete to gather brass rings from the horns of wild Camargue bulls. The bulls get to live another day, sweaty and frustrated but alive.
Grocery & Supply Stores
Good supermarket and other shops in the town.
Eateries
Try the famous local beefsteak, simply grilled with herbes de Provence. If nothing else, it'll fire you up for the bullring ...
Internet/WiFi
Available?
Laundry
Motorbike & Car Rentals
Garbage Disposal
Bins in the marina.
Transportation
Transportation (local and/or international)
Routes/Passages To/From
Popular passages/routes, timing, etc.
Cruiser's Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
Forum Discussions
List links to discussion threads on the Cruiser Log Forum
External Links
Links to relevant websites.
References & Publications
Publications, Guides, etc.
Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)
Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:
- June 2002 --Atheneoflymington 17:58, 15 January 2010 (UTC)
Personal Notes
- We were stuck - if that's the word - in Saintes Maries for nearly a week with a fierce mistrale and didn't regret a moment. In over 25 years of cruising, it would definitely be in our top five or six places to revisit before we finally swallow the anchor - s/y Athene of Lymington.
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