Just leave the campsite paths and walk for ten minutes to find yourself in a completely different setting. Dunes rolling down to the sea, reeds rustling in the wind, and a forest running alongside the Tech river. The Mas Larrieu nature reserve has protected this wild landscape since 1984, across 160 hectares where rare dragonflies, ocellated lizards, and European bee-eaters share the territory.

Free open access year-round: a nature escape to slip in between swims from our campsite in Argelès-sur-Mer.

Key Takeaways

• 160 protected hectares between the Tech river and the Mediterranean, straddling Argelès-sur-Mer and Elne.
• Designated a national nature reserve on July 17, 1984.
• Free open access, open 24/7 year-round.
• Nearly 700 plant species and 1,200 animal species recorded.
• A discovery trail with ten educational panels, suitable for families.

Where is the reserve located and how long has it been protected?

The Mas Larrieu nature reserve covers 160 hectares, straddling the municipalities of Argelès-sur-Mer and Elne, on both sides of the Tech river. It was designated a national nature reserve by decree on July 17, 1984, after the Conservatoire du littoral began acquiring the land in 1981 to prevent construction of a holiday village on the site. Its management is now shared between the municipality of Argelès-sur-Mer and the Federation of Catalan Nature Reserves.

A landscape shaped by river and sea

Three environments follow one another across the site. The dunes, first, colonized by marram grass and sea lily, filter wind and sand between the beach and the inland areas. The reed beds, next, form dense carpets of reeds along the Tech. The riverside forest, finally, closes off the reserve with its poplars, alders, ash trees, and elms: forty-two woody species recorded, which make up the site’s main botanical wealth. This mix of dunes, wetlands, and woodland is rare on the Catalan coast, where development has taken over almost everywhere else.

What wildlife and plants can you see?

The Mas Larrieu nature reserve is home to nearly 700 plant species and 1,200 animal species, including around 970 invertebrates and 230 vertebrates. It owes its reputation mainly to dragonflies: the orange-spotted emerald (Oxygastra curtisii), listed on the red list of threatened species, is found in only 7 of France’s 146 nature reserves. In the sandy areas, you might spot the ocellated lizard, Europe’s largest lizard, and the European bee-eater, recognizable by its bright colors. Along the Tech, the bearded reedling uses the riverside forest as a migratory stopover.

Good to know: dogs are not allowed in the reserve, even on a leash. Fires, camping, motor vehicles, picking plants, and drones are also prohibited, to preserve the peace and quiet of the wildlife.

How do you visit the Mas Larrieu nature reserve?

• Access: free and open, 24/7, year-round.
• Parking: at the end of chemin du Pas d’en Diégo, past the Luna Park roundabout.
• Route: marked discovery trail, ten educational panels on the wildlife, plants, and history of the site. An audio guide app is available in four languages.
• For walkers: the E12 coastal path crosses the reserve for 7.2 km (around 2 hours’ walk, easy level), from the Luna Park car park to Racou.

The Mas Larrieu nature reserve can be visited at any time without booking, making it an easy outing to fit in between swims. To set down your bags a stone’s throw from the beach and the reserve, our campsite is a good base for exploring this part of Argelès-sur-Mer.