Voie Verte

A former railway line turned cycle trail and footpath, links to Mèze in the west and Balaruc in the east across 12 km. The casual visitor will much prefer the route east out of Bouzigues, which runs very close to some gorgeous wetlands and mudflats, allowing you to spot the local birdlife. Hunting buzzards, graceful pink flamingos and various species of heron (grey and night herons, great and little egrets) are common, and the lucky may glimpse the blue flash of a passing kingfisher, or else catch sight of a red squirrel hurrying about its business. It is possible to go as far as Balaruc-les-Bains, but the route loses most of its charm after the large equestrian centre.

• outdoors

Getting there

start at the (where there is parking) if cycling, though walkers would be better off simply following the dirt track along the water's edge from the plage de la Pyramide, which misses out a rather dull bit through a modern housing estate

Website

af3v.org (opens in a new tab)