The Rhône river unfolds with photographer Camille Moirenc

It's a completely immersive nature walk. I love to explore the Piémanson beach, towards the East. My objective is to meet up with the mouth of the river along the border of Occitanie and Provence, where the river meets the sea. While you're still in France, it feels like another world—completely isolated and alien, only accessible on foot. Looking far out, you only see endless sand, moving at the will of the wind. You can walk for miles without encountering anyone. This spot is incredible, even moreso knowing its just a few miles from bustling Marseille.

I had the opportunity to travel down the Petit Rhône, where the estuary winds through Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and to the Mediterranean. Its constant companions are the local fishermen. In my trip I had the pleasure of meeting these impassioned people, both professionals and amateurs. They fish primarily for eels, but the river provides many other sorts of fish for their poles and nets. I was surprised at how lively this portion of the river was, but took it to mean the ecosystem was in good health. Despite the activity, it's a wild stretch.

The Avignon Bridge was built on the Rhône towards the end of the 12th century. It's an unmissable landmark in Provence, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. I had the luck to shoot it from the Ile de la Barthelasse, which offers unobstructive views on the beloved bridge. The best time to visit is at dusk, when the bridge is mirrored in the Rhône below. This magical moment only lasts a few minutes, but creates a memory to last a lifetime. Barges anchor alongside it, and kayaks float below along the waters of the Rhône.

I particularly love photographing the Rhône from this spot. The waters flow between two villages that lay face to face: Tain l’Hermitage, on the left bank, and Tournon, on the right. In general, I find myself wandering to Chapelle de Saint Christophe in Tain l'Hermitage, in between the vines. This perspective on Lyon is really something else. From here, you can see the tide of the river as it snakes towards the sea; you can truly sense the river's power from here.

This place is truly magic—to the south of Lyon, not far from the Musée des Confluences. It always seems like this at the confluence of two rivers: in this case, the Saône and the Rhône. The Saône is more full of sediment than the Rhône, and it's very clear at a glance when you see the rivers. The water of the Saône is brownish, and the Rhône is a clearer blue. Aesthetically, it's lovely to see them meet from a bridge. It takes a few meters before the waters converge totally, and the colors even out.

The Compagnie Nationale du Rhône recently opened the Génissiat Dam (External link) , and from an industrial tourism standpoint, it's an unmissable visit. The Rhône is wild at this point, and the water runs green.

The interior is open to visitors, and from here you can discover the long halls and the evacuation valves, many meters below the ground. I always feel impressed by the sense of power in the air in the control room and in the working of the machines. The setting is quite pretty, actually. From here you really understand the managment of sediments, the production of hydroelectric power, and so much more.