Barging into the South of France - Page 4  Page 4 of 5
Frontignan, just east of the great etang, is the one place where
schedule does matter because its drawbridge opens just three
times daily. Past Frontignan the canal widens heading into the
Camargue. Along this stretch are tiny fishing villages perched
on spits of land separating the canal from small etangs and
flocks of pink flamingoes stalking the reedy shores. The
Mediterranean is less than half a mile away in many places, and
the occasional historic site rises unexpectedly from the coastal
marshes.  One afternoon we climbed to Cathedrale de Maguelonne,
a formidable church on a broad hill flanked by vineyards. One
would think an old church wouldn't engage kids, but this one had
a palpable sense of mystery that drew us all in. Biking down the
hill at breakneck speed was also a draw.  From the church we
sailed quietly past the wild white horses and black bulls of the
Camargue. Behind them the flat green wetlands of the refuge
dissolved in the distance, a