Saint-Martin-de-Crau

Saint-Martin-de-Crau is on a site with several natural areas such as the Crau and the Alpilles. Saint-Martin-de-Crau is first and foremost visited for its nature. Most of the town is in Crau. La Crau, the only arid steppe in Europe, is divided in two with dry Crau and wet Crau, where Crau hay is grown.
Saint-Martin-de-Crau is a relatively young city. It was founded in 1925 by dissociation of Arles. The independence of the city is claimed by the inhabitants of the place as early as 1882.
The city has developed through successive migrations. In the 1950s, melon producers arrived from Cavaillon. In the 1970s, the iron and steel industry in Fos-sur-Mer brought in inhabitants from Lorraine.

Saint-Martin-de-Crau has a Mediterranean climate. The city has a micro climate with nearly 95 days of summer drought. Rainfall is most abundant in March/April and October.

By plane

• Marseille-Provence AirportPossibility to reach TER Vitrolles-Marseille Provence Airport Station via a free shuttle bus.

• Nîmes-Garons Airport

By rail

• Gare de Saint-Martin-de-Crau

Museum

• Maison de la Crau

  phone: +33 4 90 47 02 01
  address: 2 place Léon Michaud

• Maison de la chasse et de la nature

  phone: +33 4 90 551256

Nature

• CrauThe Crau is the ancient confluence of the Durance and Rhône, and constitutes their vast flat alluvial fan. It's the last dry steppe type habitat of western Europe.

• Étang des Aulnes

  phone: +33 4 90 47 09 99
  address: chemin d'Istres à l'Étang des Aulnes
  lake

• Arboretum "Le Jardin de Gaston"

  phone: +33 4 90 479840
  address: avenue de Plaisance

• Domaine du lac

  address: Rue du lac Constance

• Plan d'eau paysager de la baisse de Raillon

  address: Baisse de Raillon, RN 1453

• Jardin public

  address: Rue du Logisson

Others

• Church Saint-Martin

  address: 2 boulevard de Provence

• Arènes Louis ThiersActivities between march and november. Traditional course camarguaise which is a bloodless spectacle for the bull, the objective is to snatch a rosette from the head of the bull.

• Town hall

  address: Place de Docteur Bagnaninchi

Culture

• Centre de développement culturel

  phone: +33 4 90 47 06 80
  address: Place François-Mitterrand
  Various cultural activities (concert, exposition).

Markets

• Weekly provencal market

  address: Avenue de la République
  Every Friday stands the weekly market on the Avenue de la République

• Local farmers marketUnder the covered market, a farmers' market is held on mondays evenings.

Celebrations

• Feria de la CrauThe feria de la Crau is organized every last weekend of April. It takes place at the Louis-Thiers Arena.

• Spring Festival

  phone: +33 4 90 47 98 40
  The Spring Festival is a parade of traditions celebrating the local terroir and its cultural heritage with pastoralism, hay Crau, folklore and especially transhumance. The highlight is the parade on Sunday morning with the passage of more than 2000 sheep. Entertainment is organized throughout the weekend from Saturday morning until Sunday evening.

• European Heritage DaysThe European Heritage Days highlight monuments of the town every 3rd weekend of September.

Sport

• Fitness trail

  address: N1453

• Public pool

  phone: +33 4 90 470142
  address: avenue Nostradamus

• Skate Park

  address: Rue des Bergers

• Boulodrome du Foirail

  address: Avenue du Foirail
  to play pétanque, a boule game.

• Boulodrome de la rue des Arènes

  address: Rue des Arènes
  to play pétanque, a boule game.

• Foulée de la CrauThe Foulée de la Crau is organized every year in October. The competition has several levels of difficulty.

Walk

• Circuit de la GarrigueThis walk highlights the flora and the view of the Alpilles.

• Chemin d'Ilon16km round trip.

• Chemin de Craulonguette12.5km round trip.

• Chemin des Angelets6.8km round trip.

Bike

There are 12 circuits designed to ride a bike.

Tradition

• Ibis Budget

  address: Avenue Marcellin Berthelot - Zone Ecopole

• Hôtel-Restaurant de la gare

  phone: +334 90 47 05 18
  address: Chemin de la Gare

• Hôtel La Mare

  phone: +334 90 47 15 55

• Hotel Résidence de la Transhumance

  phone: +334 90 18 29 70
  address: 11 Rue de la Transhumance

• Hôtel-Restaurant l’Avenir

  phone: +334 90 47 38 13
  address: 32 Avenue de la République

• Maison du tourisme

  phone: +33 4 90 47 98 40
  address: 2 Avenue de la République

• Arles
• Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
• Salon-de-Provence