At the end of the Route de la Mer on the Rhône delta is a nice, sandy beach. However, when we were there close to 9:30 pm on May 22nd, the Mistral winds that blow from the Alps to the sea, accelerating as they pass through the Rhône and Durance valleys, were blowing at almost hurricane force at the end of our road. The wind was so strong it seemed to stretch shadows, and even using a shutter speed of 1/1000 of a second, the sand blowing across the beach is a blur. Mistral winds blow day and night for three to four days straight without letting up.