In winter, the limestone hills of Les Alpilles are a regular haunt of Wallcreeper (above) and Alpine Accentor Robert Dolezal, birdwatcher.

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1 France WALLCREEPERS, CAMARGUE & PROVENCE In winter, the limestone hills of Les Alpilles are a regular haunt of Wallcreeper (above) and Alpine Accentor Robert Dolezal, birdwatcher.cz 2017 Saturday 4th - Friday 10th March (7 days) Single-centre, small group tour with David Fairhurst Set yourself up for the spring with this delightful, small group tour to Provence, in the south of France. Watching for Wallcreeper, Eagle Owl and Alpine Accentor amid the beautiful limestone hills of Les Alpilles; Little Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse and Calandra Lark on the Crau; and Greater Flamingo, Glossy Ibis and Penduline Tit in one of Europe s premier wetland sites - the Camargue. Single-centre holiday led by David Fairhurst, making his eighth visit to the region. A wonderful week of late winter birding in the south of France The legendary Camargue wetlands, Les Alpilles and the arid Crau steppe' Specialities in March include wintering Wallcreeper and Alpine Accentor Greater Flamingo, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Eagle Owl, Southern Grey Shrike Kentish Plover, chance of Richard's Pipit - and the first White Storks back at their nests Plus Mont Ventoux for Black Woodpecker and Citril Finch From stands of Giant Orchid in flower to the Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard Small group tour - maximum of 7 participants Expertly led by Limosa guide and all-round naturalist David Fairhurst What's Included? Limosa Tour Leader Flights - London Heathrow to Marseille with British Airways 6 nights at a converted rural farmhouse hotel near Arles All meals included - with water provided during the day All excursions, local travel, entry fees, tour based tips and taxes LIMOSA HOLIDAYS, West End Farmhouse, Chapelfield, Stalham, Norfolk NR12 9EJ (UK) TEL: +44 (0) info@limosaholidays.co.uk WEB: limosaholidays.co.uk

2 Outline Itinerary Day 1: Days 2-6: Day 7: Tour Overview Fly London Heathrow-Marseille; afternoon birding in Provence. Night near Arles We explore the bird-rich habitats of the Camargue and Provence, including La Crau, Les Alpilles, the historic Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard - and a day trip to Mont Ventoux. Arles (5 nts) Return to Marseille; fly London Situated at the heart of the immense Rhône delta in southwest Provence, the Camargue is one of Western Europe s largest and most important wetland sites. Though rightly famous for its spectacular colony of Greater Flamingos in summer, the fact that this wonderful corner of France has been largely ignored by birdwatchers during the winter months is surprising. For not only do large numbers of flamingos remain but the marshes are an important refuge for a wealth of wintering birds. When the nearby stony flats of La Crau, picturesque limestone hills of Les Alpilles and the alpine habitats of Mont Ventoux are included too, then the bird-life of this quiet corner of France assumes even greater appeal. In addition to its beautiful flamingos, Provence boasts an impressive and wide-ranging list of speciality birds in winter - including a number that can be difficult to see elsewhere in Europe. Glossy Ibis, Great Egret, Little Bustard, Pintailed Sandgrouse, Slender-billed Gull, Eagle Owl, Alpine Accentor, Penduline Tit and Citril Finch are all possible on our visit here in March - and this is an excellent trip for anyone wishing to see Wallcreeper, which has a penchant in winter for the limestone hills that lie inland of the coast. Common Cranes winter in the south of France and the cereal fields of the Camargue offer a good opportunity to see these majestic birds. We'll check one or two favoured spots for the elusive Purple Swamphen and keep watch for the first spring migrants such as Garganey, Black Kite and White Stork; come early March, some of the latter may already be back at their nests. The Iberian form of Southern Grey Shrike is resident (occurring here at the northernmost limit of its range), while farmland fringing the Crau is a regular wintering site for Richard s Pipit (which breeds in Siberia). These much larger cousins of the Meadow Pipit normally winter in Southeast Asia, but a handful of birds also occur in Western Europe - and we have a chance of seeing them here! On one day, we'll head north to explore Mont Ventoux (1912m), where upland forests of beech and pine offer chances of Black Woodpecker, Firecrest, Common Crossbill and Citril Finch. To make the most of our stay, we spend all six nights at Mas de la Feniere, a converted rural farmhouse hotel set in countryside a few miles outside Arles. The hotel has a reputation for serving delicious Provençale food using locally sourced ingredient and its location is perfect for easy access to all the best birdwatching spots - including our favourite cliffs for Eagle Owl! This will be guide David Fairhurst's tenth trip to France and his eight visit to the Camargue and Provence in winter. Daily Itinerary DAY 1 TO MARSEILLE & ARLES Our winter birdwatching tour to the south of France begins with the British Airways morning flight from London Heathrow to Marseille. From here, an easy 50-minute drive brings us to our hotel a few miles southeast of historic Arles, a fine medieval town set beside the River Rhône, where we stay for all six nights of our tour. We should arrive at our hotel in time to enjoy a light lunch there and afterwards our first taste of winter birding in Provence. Night near Arles DAYS 2-6 CAMARGUE, CRAU & LES ALPILLES With roads radiating out to the north, south, east and west, Arles gives excellent access to the info@limosaholidays.co.uk

3 region's key birding sites, including Les Alpilles, the Crau, the remarkable Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, Mont Ventoux - and of course, the famous Camargue. Few of Europe's wetland sites can rival the Camargue for birds. While much of the northern part of the immense Rhône delta has been converted to rice fields, further south there are still wide expanses of reedmarsh, lakes, saltpans and Mediterranean steppe. During a typical Provençal winter (when there is no snow or ice), the whole area remains rich in birds and spring comes early. Our March visit is designed to catch the best of the region's winter birds before they disperse as well as offering chances of early returning migrants such as Black Kite, Stonecurlew and Fan-tailed Warbler. Even Hoopoe is possible. In winter, clusters of Black-necked Grebes, Cormorants, Red-crested Pochard and other waterfowl gather on the vast Etang de Vaccares, at the heart of the reserve. About a quarter of the Camargue s 20,000 Greater Flamingos remain year-round, affording excellent views from the roads that skirt the reserve. Winter waders might include Avocet, Kentish Plover, Spotted Redshank and Little Stint. We should also find Sandwich Terns along the shore and will check carefully through the flocks of loafing Yellowlegged and Black-headed Gulls for the scarce Mediterranean Gull and an early Slender-billed Gull or two. In the reedbeds and fringing scrub we ll listen for the spring songs of Cetti s Warblers and Chiffchaffs, and the booming of Bitterns; all three species are resident in the Camargue and can be heard on bright sunny days from late February onwards. Water Rail, Water Pipit and Bearded Tit also frequent the winter marshes, and one or two Whiskered Terns are sometimes about - as is the diminutive Penduline Tit (though the latter is often heard, it can be tricky to find!). Little and Cattle Egrets lend a definite Mediterranean flavour - and winter brings small numbers of stately Great Egrets, too - as we keep an eye out for the first Garganey and Swallows of spring. The Camargue is an excellent spot for birds of prey in winter. Marsh Harriers are plentiful here and, in March, we may add the odd Merlin, Hen Harrier, Black Kite and Booted Eagle, too. Northeast of Arles, the wooded limestone cliffs and canyons of Les Alpilles are prime breeding habitat for Eagle Owl. These enormous birds are also at their most vocal in late winter, making this the optimum time to look. The sight of one glaring back at us with fiery orange eyes is never to be forgotten! Below the bare limestone crags and bluffs, the scrub-covered hillsides of Les Alpilles conceal skulking Sardinian and Dartford Warblers, while the pine-clad lower slopes hold Woodlark, Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper and Cirl Bunting. Raven, Crag Martin and Blue Rock Thrush also frequent these picturesque hills in winter. In early March, we also have excellent chances to see Wallcreeper and Alpine Accentor, two high alpine specialities that come down from Europe's highest mountains to spend the winter months in the lower and warmer limestone hills of Provence. Both species can be very confiding. Further north, Mont Ventoux rises to 1912m (6273ft). Its sheltered southern slopes are clothed in forests of beech and pine, where Black Woodpecker, Crested Tit and Common Crossbill can often be found. In March, we have further chances of seeing Alpine Accentor here and may again be lucky to find the elusive Citril Finch. Covering an area of 600 sq. km, the Crau is a dry, stony steppe-like plain characterised by low growing herbs such as Rosemary and Thyme. This unique habitat holds some specialist birds including Little Bustard, Calandra Lark and an isolated - and elusive - population of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. Red Kites roam the Crau in winter and the scattered trees and bushes make perfect lookouts for the Southern Grey Shrike. In recent winters, small numbers of chunky Richard s Pipits have been found wintering in farmland fringing the Crau and we'll check a couple of 'traditional' haunts. This is a bird info@limosaholidays.co.uk

4 which breeds in Siberia and normally winters in Southeast Asia, so it's quite a surprise to find them here! On one day, we will visit the stunning Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard. Built in the first century AD, this fantastic bridge has three tiers of arches and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is not just the culture we are after here, for the bridge is a popular winter roost site for the difficult-to-find Rock Sparrow. In the late afternoon, small parties arrive to pass the night tucked safely within the small nooks and crannies within the bridge. As a nice little bonus, the Pont du Gard is also a reliable spot to see Crag Martins - and our March 2016 group enjoyed seeing Alpine Swift and superb close views of Wallcreeper here, too! If the sun comes out to warm the day, early spring butterflies in the Camargue can include Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Clouded Yellow, Bath White, Western Dappled White and Green Hairstreak. Giant Orchid is an early flowering species and some years there can be impressive stands to enjoy. Five nights Arles DAY 7 RETURN TO MARSEILLE, FLY LONDON We should have time to enjoy some final birding in Provence this morning before making our way back to Marseille. We catch the British Airways afternoon flight back to London, where our tour concludes. Trip Information Group Limit 7 participants & 1 leader Birds species Accommodation 6 nights accommodation at Mas de la Feniere (French Tourist Board 3-star), a converted 19th century farmhouse hotel set in countryside a few miles southeast of Arles. It s the ideal base for our winter tour. Meals All main meals are included in the tour price, commencing with lunch on Day 1 and concluding with breakfast on Day 7. Breakfasts and dinners will be taken at the hotel, where the restaurant serves delicious Provençale home cooking. Lunches will usually be taken as picnics in the field. Walking Easy. The countryside around the Camargue and La Crau is flat and the going easy. Some hill trails in Les Alpilles and at Mont Ventoux, but nothing too strenuous and always taken at a gentle pace. Sturdy waterproof walking shoes or boots recommended in the hills; lightweight walking shoes or trainers should be suitable elsewhere. Weather In early March, the weather in the south of France is usually mild and sunny, with temperatures in the range of 6-15C (43-59F), and daily averages of 11C/51F and 9 hours of sunshine. March is by far the driest of the winter months (average of 7 rainfall days). Note that it can feel cold on days when the northerly Mistral is blowing down the Rhone valley, also at altitude on Mont Ventoux, so be sure to pack plenty of warm clothing to 'layer up', if required. Flights Direct flights from London Heathrow to Marseille with British Airways. Ground Transport By minibus. Tour Cost 2017 (7 days): 1495* (inc flights from London) Land only cost: 1375* Deposit: 300 Single Supp: 135* Cost includes Services of our expert guide, return flights London-Marseille, 6 nights accommodation, all main meals, local travel, permits/entry fees to reserves, all tour based tips and taxes, map and Limosa checklist of birds. Cost excludes Insurance, drinks & other items of a personal nature. * Please note 2017 tour prices and leaders are provisional at this stage, to be confirmed after the UK European Union membership referendum in June info@limosaholidays.co.uk

5 About Your Guide David Fairhurst Ever since he can remember, David has been passionate about birds and wildlife. This lead on to a varied 20-year career in conservation (working largely for the RSPB) and guiding bird and wildlife tours. His work has taken him to all four corners of the UK - from studying Wood Larks in Dorset to tour leading in Shetland. More recently he was employed setting up a new RSPB reserve near Snape (Suffolk). David has also been involved in some fascinating projects around the world - ranging from studying Griffon Vultures in Israel to restoring fragile ecosystems on the Seychelles - and has travelled far and wide in pursuit of birds, including trips across Europe, Chile and South Africa. David now lives close by the Suffolk coast with his wife and two young daughters. He's a terrific addition to the Limosa team - an exceptional birder and an excellent allround naturalist with enthusiasm, humour and relative youth (he's 40), as well as excellent leadership and bird finding skills. David led our summer 2015 tour to the French Pyrenees and our March 2016 trip to the Camargue. This will be will be his eighth visit to Provence in winter. Financial Security Limosa Holidays is a fully bonded Tour Operator and a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). We hold an ATOL (Air Tour Operators Licence) granted by the CAA, providing for your protection in the event of Limosa Holidays' insolvency. Our licence number is ATOL For tours not including the cost of a flight from the UK or for holidays booked by you as Land Only, all payments made to us are fully bonded through the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT). Our ABTOT membership number is For details please see our brochure or website: Limosa Loyalty Discount We are proud of the number of loyal customers who travel regularly with us. As our way of saying thank you, we offer a Frequent Travel Discount. Under the scheme, everyone who takes four trips with us is entitled to claim a 5% discount on their 5th trip *1. Remember to request your discount at time of booking! *1 Please note: This offer applies to the basic tour cost only and excludes certain commissionbased trips, extras such as additional flights, private extensions and cancellations. Discounts cannot be given in lieu of tour deposits or off the cost of single room supplements. How To Book Check availability on our website or with our office. We are happy to hold Provisional Reservations for up to 7 days. After this, we do require a Booking Form and deposit to confirm your place on tour. Any unconfirmed space will be released. Book Online, by Phone or by Post You can book and pay the deposit simply and securely Online via our website, using the Book This Tour button on the relevant tour page or the Booking tab at the top of the page. Telephone bookings must be confirmed in writing by completion of a Booking Form (there's one tucked inside every brochure or as a PDF download from our website), which can be mailed to us in the time-honoured way. Be sure to read our Booking Conditions and General Information (found at the back of our brochure, on our website or available from our office on request) prior to booking. When to Book Early booking is advised since flights and accommodation are much more easily secured well in advance. To encourage early booking, we are pleased to offer an Early Bird Discount - see our current brochure or website for details info@limosaholidays.co.uk

6 Our tours are limited to small group sizes. So they can fill up quickly - sometimes even before our new brochure comes out! Single rooms in particular can often be in short supply and among the first to go, so do try to plan well ahead if you definitely require one of these. Last-minute Bookings: We inevitably receive a few unexpected cancellations over the course of a season so it is always worth enquiring about vacancies on any tour - even for those departing in just a few weeks! Payments The amount of booking deposit per person is shown alongside every tour. We accept deposit payments by debit card, cheque (payable to Limosa Holidays and drawn on a UK bank in GB Pounds Sterling) and BACS (please ask for our bank details). We also accept Visa and MasterCard credit cards, with no transaction charge on payment of tour deposits. Full payment of the balance is due not later than 12 weeks prior to departure (20 weeks in the case of certain tours such as cruises or those involving rail travel). We will send you an invoice before the balance is due. We accept payment for balances (and interim payments) by cheque, BACS or UK debit card. We also accept balances (and interim payments) by credit card or overseas debit card but with a charge of 2% of the transaction amount to help offset card company charges. [Note that we do not retain your card details, which are destroyed once used. This means we may need to phone you again for details for subsequent payments.] Payment by overseas customers must be in GB Pounds Sterling and may be made by transfer to our bank (please ask for our bank details), or by overseas debit or credit card with a 2% transaction charge. Please note we do not accept cheques on US Banks in US Dollars, or cheques in Euros or Eurocheques. Late Booking Payments: In order for us to guarantee your airline seats, hotels etc., full payment is required at time of booking for all late bookings (i.e. bookings made within 12 weeks of departure). Other Things You Need To Know Passports & Visas For UK passport holders, your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. Although no additional period of validity beyond this is required, when travelling anywhere overseas we always recommend that your passport has a minimum of 6 months left to run after your intended date of return home in case of unforeseen delay. VISA NOT REQUIRED by UK passport holders to enter France. Holders of non-uk passports should contact the nearest French embassy or consulate to enquire whether or not they require a visa. If a visa is required, you need to apply locally. If the embassy or consulate requires you to provide a letter confirming that you are booked on an allinclusive tour, please contact our office and we will be happy to provide one. Health & Vaccinations Compulsory vaccinations: None. Recommended vaccinations: For travel everywhere (even within the UK) however, we recommend you check you are up-to-date with protection against tetanus, polio and hepatitis A. The above information, together with that contained within our Travel Information sheets (sent to everyone who books), outlines health requirements for this tour. Please note that these details are given for guidance only - and are only for certain diseases - and you must consult your doctor in good time prior to travel as to what immunisations (if any) are needed for your chosen holiday. Visit your health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures. Country specific information and advice is published by the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), visit: travelhealthpro.org.uk/country info@limosaholidays.co.uk

7 information/ and by NHS (Scotland), visit: Useful information and advice about healthcare abroad is also available at NHS Choices website: ad/pages/healthcareabroad.aspx Your Safety & Travel Advice An unavoidable aspect of travelling abroad nowadays is the risk it may pose to your safety and security. The best advice on current risks is provided by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). In order to assess and protect against any risks in your chosen destination we strongly recommended that you refer to the relevant FCO Travel Advice - both prior to booking and regularly before you travel. See It is standard Limosa policy for our office to send a copy of the relevant FCO Travel Advice about the tour to all participants along with their Final Letter (ca. 2-3 weeks prior to the trip). Know Before You Go - staying safe and healthy abroad - is a travel safety campaign run by the FCO, and another useful resource. Go to: Travel Insurance Good travel insurance is essential before setting off on any overseas trip. In common with all responsible tour operators, it is a condition of booking that all clients are fully and adequately insured before travelling overseas with us. Your travel insurance should cover against cancellation, curtailment, missed departure, delay, personal accident, death, loss of baggage and valuables (see note below), personal liability and legal expenses. Most importantly, your insurance must cover you fully in respect of medical care and repatriation should you become too ill to continue with the tour, including the cost of emergency evacuation by helicopter or air ambulance should this be necessary. Note that passenger liability insurance covering the transportation that we hire, particularly in Third World countries, may be inadequate; it is therefore important that your insurance cover includes sufficient provision for your dependents in the event of an accident. We recommend that you obtain travel insurance as soon as possible after booking your holiday to ensure you are protected right from the word go in the event of unexpected cancellation prior to departure due to accident or illness. You must inform your insurers of any pre-existing medical conditions (including those of persons not necessarily travelling but upon whom your holiday may depend) that may require treatment during a period of overseas travel or might cause you to cancel the trip. Once you have arranged your insurance, please be sure to send us the following essential details: name and contact details of your insurance provider, your policy number, expiry date and your insurers 24hr Emergency Assistance number. Important Things to Note about Insurance Travel Insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover for valuable optical equipment, which is often best protected under your own household insurance policy. If in doubt ask your insurers for advice prior to travel. Most travel insurance policies limit the amount of cover, typically up to a maximum tour cost of 5000 per person. If the tour you are booking exceeds this amount, additional cover can usually be provided upon payment of additional premium. We recommend all travellers check their individual policy limit to ensure the full cost of their holiday is covered. Arranging Your Insurance: due to UK Government legislation, under Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulations, we are not allowed to offer or recommend travel related insurance to customers. Premiums can vary widely according to your age, needs, health, choice of destination and other factors, while many people nowadays have Annual Travel Insurance cover. For these reasons, we leave you free to shop around and pick your own policy, one best suited to your own individual needs info@limosaholidays.co.uk

8 General Information Our website gives easy access to detailed tour itineraries (Tour Info Packs), trip reports, trip photos and the latest Limosa News. Special Diets & Other Requests We pass on all such requests to the airlines, hotels and other suppliers, and do our best to ensure (but of course cannot guarantee) that your needs will be met. Please be sure to tell us about these (in as much detail as possible) at the time of booking, to allow good time to make the necessary arrangements. Smoking Almost all of our clients prefer a smoke-free environment. For the enjoyment and comfort of all, we ask that smokers refrain from smoking in proximity to the group and respect our NO SMOKING policy in the vehicle, at meal times and when watching wildlife. Any Questions? If you have any questions at any time, you ll find our office staff friendly, efficient, approachable - and just a phone call away, eager to assist you in every way. Our office is open hrs Mon-Fri, and can also be reached by fax and . In the event we are unable to take your call, please leave a message on our answerphone (24 hrs) and our office will contact you as soon as we can. Thank you for your interest in our tours. We do hope that you will be able to join us - and we look forward to hearing from you again! CKBSDF info@limosaholidays.co.uk