It might look like a scene from a horror film but this is the breathtaking natural phenomenon which has met tourists at a popular French beauty spot.

The stunning scenes in Camargue, southern France, may look very dramatic but are actually thought to be caused by the high levels of salt within the water.

The bizarre sight was captured by photographer, Sam Dobson, from Moscow in Russia.

The sinister red water stretches as far as the eye can see. The stunning scenes may look very dramatic but are actually thought to be caused by the high levels of salt within the water. The bizarre sight was captured by photographer, Sam Dobson, from Moscow in Russia

The water has been transformed into a deep shade of red by high levels of salt

The shoreline and sky stand out dramatically against the red of the water. The scene baffled holiday makers

The 51-year-old said he stumbled across the strange scene by chance while driving through France.

He said: ‘I’d read a lot of things about Camargue but I’d never heard anything about this.

‘We were just on the way to the beach when we saw the striking lake.

‘It is absolutely stunning from far away but it’s even better when you get closer.

‘The salty crystals can be seen everywhere.

The natural phenomenon, which has seen salt levels turn water red,  has had a breathtakingly beautiful – and eerie –  effect on wildlife

Wild life in the lake in Southern France is bedecked with salt crystals which have gathered in clumps around stems of the plant life in the river

With every small branch encrusted with salt crystals and all flora and forna encased in white and set against the  dark red background, the pictures could have been taken from the stills of a science fiction film.

Mr Dobson said: ‘Every small branch is covered with crystals and with the red water as a background it looks like something extra-terrestrial.

‘The strange thing is there are lakes on the left and on the right of this one and they are absolutely as you’d expect with normal water.
‘I was just overwhelmed with emotions the whole time I was there.

‘Despite my numerous travels, I have never seen anything like this before.’

The amazing natural phenomenon has turned the already beautiful lake in Camargue, southern France, into a breathtaking sight to behold

The contrast of the blood red water and white salt has given the lake an eerie quality

Banks of white salt can be seen rising up out of the blood red water