Macromia splendens is a rare species, endemic to southern France and the Iberian Peninsula. Information about its larval ecology is still scarce. For the first time, we have obtained 30 photographic and video records of M. splendens larvae in natura from three small rivers in southern France and we comment on these observations. Our observations confirm that M. splendens larvae live in shady places and hide in a covering of brown detritus, consisting of leaves and sticks, as indicated by previous studies. However, our observations show that larvae are also present in open micro-habitats, exposing them to trampling by bathers or horses.