- The Gulf of Lion (Golfe du Lion) extends around the Mediterranean Sea from the Spanish Border, along the coast of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence to Toulon.
- It was known to the Romans as Sinus Leonis.
Coastline
- The coastline from the Spanish border northwards consists of lagoons (etangs) and salt marshes,
- The Etang de Bages-Sigean near Narbonne holds pink flamingos.
The Camargue
- The Camargue is located between the two arms of the Rhone forming the Rhone delta south of Arles.
- It has been home to the Camargue horse for thousands of years, and the Camargue cattle.
- There is a large colony of Pink Flamingos in the Camargue.
Rivers
- The Rivers draining into the Gulf are the:
- Tech, Tet, Aude, Orb, Herault, Vidourle, and the Rhone.
Winds
- The Mistral
- This wind blows down the Rhone valley from the northwest, and is a dry, cold wind that can reach over 100 mph (185 kph).
- The Tramontane
- Meaning, ‘over the mountains’, this is also a dry, cold wind that resembles the Mistral, but blows along the corridor between the Pyrenees and the Massif Central.
Gulf of Lion, France