Villas in Saintes Maries de la Mer
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer suits couples and small families who want fine-sand beaches and Camargue horses close by. The homes are compact, mostly one bedroom and sleeping two to four, and pools are not a feature here, so check each listing and treat this as a base for the beach and the marshes.
- Villas
- 6
About Saintes Maries de la Mer
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is the capital of the Camargue, a small town of about 2,400 people in the Rhône delta, a kilometre east of the mouth of the Petit Rhône. Its church, built as a fortress and refuge, can be seen from 10 km away, and its roof is ringed by a battlemented walkway. The beaches are fine sand. The homes sit together close to the centre, and the arena stages bullfighting festivals through the summer. Holiday homes and retirees have largely replaced the fishermen and farmers, and it is above all a working-class summer beach town. Around it the flat delta belongs to horses, bulls and birds.
Is Saintes Maries de la Mer right for you?
- Best for
- Couples, birdwatchers and riders wanting a walkable seaside base
- Not for you if
- You need a pool, more than four beds or a train station in town.
Near Saintes Maries de la Mer
Arles
Arles lies 38 km up the RD570, reachable by the daily coach from Saintes-Maries, Sundays included.
Étang de Vaccarès
Large lagoon within the commune, where a nature reserve protects flamingos and egrets.
Aigues-Mortes
Reached across the Petite Camargue by the Sauvage ferry and the Sylvéréal bridge, on the route towards Montpellier.
Getting to Saintes Maries de la Mer
Nîmes airport is about 35 km away and Montpellier airport about 40 km; Marseille is the other option. There is no railway station, and the coach runs only to Arles daily, plus a summer-only line to Montpellier. A car makes the Camargue far easier to explore.
When to go to Saintes Maries de la Mer
This is mainly a summer beach town, and the arena hosts its festivals in summer. The feasts of the Three Marys fall in May and October; the May pilgrimage on 24 and 25 May fills the town for about a week, so book early for those dates or pick another week.
Villas in Saintes Maries de la Mer
5-star property
2-Bedroom Home, Saintes Maries de la Mer
Saintes Maries de la Mer, Camargue, France
4
2
0
DishwasherMicrowaveInternet+7 more
2-star property
Soleil Camarguais
Saintes Maries de la Mer, Camargue, France
4
1
0
MicrowaveParkingFridge+5 more
2-star property
Le Soleil Camarguais
Saintes Maries de la Mer, Camargue, France
4
2
0
MicrowaveParkingFridge+4 more
2-star property
Le Soleil Camarguais
Saintes Maries de la Mer, Camargue, France
2
1
0
MicrowaveParkingFridge+5 more
2-star property
Le Soleil Camarguais
Saintes Maries de la Mer, Camargue, France
2
1
0
MicrowaveParkingFridge+5 more
2-star property
Le Soleil Camarguais
Saintes Maries de la Mer, Camargue, France
2
1
0
MicrowaveParkingFridge+4 more
Saintes Maries de la Mer villa holidays: questions answered
When is the Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer pilgrimage?
On 24 and 25 May each year, with a second feast of the Three Marys in October. The May gathering brings typically 25,000 to 40,000 people over about a week, with processions carrying statues into the sea.
Is the beach at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer sandy?
Yes. The beaches around the town are fine sand, and on the outskirts the Canal de Vitesse is a windsurfing course where several world speed records were set.
Can you get to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer without a car?
Partly. There is no train station, but coaches run daily to Arles, 38 km away, and a summer line serves Montpellier. In town everything is walkable, though the wider Camargue needs a car or a horse.
Can you see Van Gogh's Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer?
Yes. Van Gogh painted several pictures here in 1888, including Street in Saintes-Maries, and the fortress church, built between the 9th and 12th centuries, can still be seen from 10 km away.
Nearby towns to Saintes Maries de la Mer
Written by the TrustedVillas team. Last reviewed November 2026.
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