About Camargue
Camargue, delta region in Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, southern France. The region is located between the Grand and Petit channels of the Rhône River and has an area of 300 square kilometers (780 km).
In the northern part of the delta, the alluvium appears as dry land; in the south, the highest land is near the embankments of the present and former watercourse; Among the lakes in between are wetlands and shallow lakes.
Sparsely populated, the region was once wild, with roaming herds of bulls (bred for Provençal bullfighting) and wild Camargue horses. The conquest of the mountains of the Camargue began at the end of the 19th century with the appearance of vines, then, food and grain; recently, fruits and vegetables are grown.
Large herds of cattle and free horses of the famous area still exist today, especially on the edge of Lake Vaccarès which became the Camargue Regional Park. Rice cultivation developed after the Second World War in an effort to meet national needs and is still important.
The associated salt is mined in the marshes in the southeast between the lakes of Vaccarès and the (Grand) Rhône. The nature reserve in Lake Vaccarès protects rare species such as flamingos and egrets. The Camargue is also a center for tourism (Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer) and tourism.
History
According to the researchers, these horses are descended from Solutre horses that were hunted in the Upper Palaeolithic. Ancient evidence excavated in the Burgundy region of France also proves this to be true. Roman and Celtic invaders entering the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe also admired and praised the Camargue horse.
It is likely that this caused his pedigree to be associated with the Iberian horse, especially those from the northern Iberian Peninsula. Julius Caesar, the famous Roman Emperor, encouraged the breeding of these horses when Napoleon admired their strength, thus incorporating them into his army.
It has also been said that the Camargue horse is responsible for the development of other equine breeds such as the Spanish jaca (created by crossing the Camargue and the Celtic pony), the Criollo and the Chilean horse. This hardy type was also put to work on a large scale during the construction of the Suez Canal in the 1860s.
In 1976, the French government set breeding standards for these horses to preserve their quality and purity. They even started naming the herdsmen for them. The stud book was created in 1978 with the condition that the foals were born outside. For the purpose of proving their parentage, they must also be breastfed by a registered grandmother under this form.
Horses born in the Camargue region are registered as “under station”, while those born outside the department are classified as “outside station”. Being heavy and square headed like ancient horses, influences from the Barb, Thoroughbred and Arabian breeds are also visible.
The Camargue Horse Society of Britain represents the Camargue breed in Britain. He keeps a herd book for them and registers the names of their owners.
Things to do in Camargue, France
Camargue is not a town or a city. It’s not even a museum, but it’s definitely an unforgettable tour. especially if the guest is a nature lover. The French region known as the Camargue is a forested region between the Mediterranean Sea and two arms of the Rhône, the Grand Rhône in the east and the Petit Rhône in the west.
It is just south of the city of Arles. The delta was later protected from inundation to create salt marshes and wetlands. He is also rich in agriculture. In 1970, a nature reserve and regional park were created to protect more than 320 square kilometers of forest land.
Experience the Museum of the Camargue
The Musée de Camargue is a public museum that shows the unity of the relationship between man and nature in the Camargue. It is 10 kilometers from Arles on the Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer road, on the site of Mas du Pont de Rusty, the capital of the Camargue Regional Natural Park.
The museum, renovated in 2013, offers immersion in the Camargue of yesterday and today through the permanent exhibition “Le fil de l’eau, le fil du temps”. Historical works, discussions, musical installations, films, and contemporary art projects invite children and adults to travel between the past, present and future.
Discover the Cinematographic panorama in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
Enjoy a comfortable and exciting trip to the capital of the Camargue, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Home to many historic churches and loose stones, the area is full of museums, good restaurants and theaters.
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is located on the edge of the Camargue Regional Natural Park, where the Rhône and the Mediterranean Sea meet. This beautiful city street in the Bouches-du-Rhône is steeped in local culture and tradition.
The Salty Salt Experience
Between the water mines, the Laguna and the rice fields, the Camargue is also known for its salt production. The salt production business flourished in the area between the sandy Mediterranean coast of Montpellier to the west and the Rhône to the east. Even the Romans mined salt here.
The main cause of the pink color of the water is the pink algae (Dunaliella Salina) that lives there. This pink algae is the main source of food for another inhabitant of salt water, Artemia salina, a small shrimp, and gives flamingos the pink color.
