Beaucaire prides
itself on being at the crossroads, "entre le roseau and l'olivier"
- between the reeds of Camargue and the olives of Provence. Its
location has made it an important settlement since Roman times and
the site of many a bloody conflict. Dominated by the ruins of a
magnificent castle high on a rock and bounded by the Rhône on one
side and the Canal Du Rhône à Sete on another, the town used
to be a magnet for traders from all over Europe, who came for its
renowned annual fair. Today, it remains largely untouched by time
and below the tourist radar, a chance to enjoy a genuine taste of
French provincial life.
