Just back from a Camargue Safari researching the Moon Guide to Provence. Here’s 10 things I learnt:
- The Camargue is responsible for France’s entire production of rice.
- Pump houses along the Petit Rhone, irrigate the agricultural areas of the Camargue
- Famous bulls are buried standing up facing the sea.
- Camargue bulls spend 15 minutes a year taking part in bull runs. For the rest of the year they are out in the
wilds of the Camargue - Spanish bulls natural lifespan is 6 years. They are killed in Corridas at the age of 4/5.
- 95% of the bulls in the Camargue are raised for bull runs/the Corridas. Only 5% for meat.
- There are approximately 250 gardians. Each is responsible for the bulls of a manad (farm).
- The Gardian confrerie is over 500 years old. Every 01 May the Gardians ride into Arles, have a good lunch, and then put on a show in the Arene. The money raised from the crowd goes into a fund to help injured Gardians
- When Good King Rene of Aix excavated the bones of Marie Jacobe and Marie Salome in the 15th century, they also found the bones of their servant – Sarah Le Noir.
- Flamingoes are pink because of the microscopic prawns they eat. They are pinker in mating season in Spring.
Many thanks to J2M – Safari en Camargue et dans les Alpilles
Mazet de la Montlong-Villeneuve
13200 Arles
safari@camargue.com / www.
+336.76.90.27.93
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