LE CAMARGUE - LAND OF ANCIENT MYTH AND WHITE HORSES

“What do you think the anchor with a heart symbol means?” I ask my husband James. “It’s everywhere. All over that “Cowboy” gift shop by the stables. And I saw it as a door knocker and a brand on a horse’s flank.” 

My latest article, "Le Camargue: Pilgrimages of a Different Kind" has just been published by Senior Living at http://www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/lecamargue. It tells the story of fulfilling a long-standing promise to visit the land of ancient myth, bulls, and wild horses; also of pilgrimages, horse and jeep safaris, and the town of Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Read it before enjoying the video below.

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• http://stampsinmypassport.blogspot.com/2011/08/stamp-le-camargue-1.html 
• http://stampsinmypassport.blogspot.com/2011/08/stamp-2-le-camargue-france.html
• http://stampsinmypassport.blogspot.com/2011/08/stamp-3-le-camargue-france.html

STAMP #3: Le Camargue, France

Until the 1890s, the Camargue was an isolated area of southern France, inhabited by its wildlife and a few hardy ranchers. Then two rail lines connected the east and west of it with Arles to the north. Trade was the purpose, of course, but the train brought more settlers and visitors to the marshes and the little town of Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer.

Now a reserve, there is much to see - the horses, bulls, and birds. How to best do this? Especially when you don't know the region and some of the back roads are not good for rental cars.

Tourists have two choices and they are reasonable at 35-40 euros per person for two hours -- Promenade a Cheval (horse treks) or a jeep safari. There are stables all along the main road into Stes-Maries and the jeep safari office is downtown. Both travel the same lanes and trails, so your choice depends on how agile you are and if you are afraid of horses.

The white horses are stocky and tough, also gentle with velvety grey noses. Very well trained by the stables. Riders get a lesson about how to steer a horse on the trails before setting out. The wildlife does not react overly to the horses and it is a quiet way to see the area. CONs: no commentary as the leader is in front of a line of single file riders; sunburn and mosquitoes; don't have time to cover a lot of ground at a walking pace; photography is more challenging.

The jeep safari is much like an African safari - the vehicles are high and have no roofs, so the passengers can stand up to take photos. The wildlife is not disturbed by the jeeps but the bulls turn their backs to them. PROs: excellent commentary (might be only in French if you're unlucky) that can be heard by everyone; photography is easy as the jeep stops if you ask; get to see more of the different parts of the Camargue.

Hedge your bets and do both, if you can - it's well worth it. When I did them the wind was whipping across the salt marshes and pools, and the sun was very, very bright. On horseback, we took tiny lanes through the northern, less watery areas, and drove in the jeep on the flat, hard pan areas in the south around the edge of the main Etang de Vasccares. The strong wind limited our sightings of birds especially the waders. And gales knock over the top-heavy flamingos! But we did see lots of them. This species winters in north Africa and migrates to the Camargue for spring and summer breeding. The chicks are hideous - ugly ducklings. Half a million birds make the flight twice a year, so as long as you visit in the late spring and summer, you will see them.

The white horses are everywhere too, mostly domesticated these days. We saw a few wild horses, one with an egret on his back. Born brown, the foals turn white in 3-4 years. My highlight was watching a spontaneous bull round-up on a saltpan. Les guardiens, cowboys, on their white horses soon had the bulls away from the riders who were approaching. The bulls are big (400kgs) and shiny black; their long and sharp horns look menacing even from a distance. The bulls eyed us with suspicion ....



NOTES:

• Take binoculars, sunscreen, and bug juice.
• Les guardiens' traditional cottages (cabanes) - round at the north end because of the Mistral, thatched with reeds from the marshes, climbing pole outside to observe their herds of bulls and horses.
• The Musee de Camargue is worth a visit as you leave the reserve on the D570. 
• A must for next visit is the Domaine Paul Ricard at Mejanes - a working ranch on etang.
• Lunch in Albaron at La Flamande Rosee on way home. 
• Hour and a quarter back to Aix on the autoroute was half the time we took on outward journey on the minor roads, but not so pretty and no ferry ride.

IMAGES: (c) Julie H. Ferguson 2011

RECENT POSTS:
STAMP #1: Le Camargue
STAMP #2: Le Camargue

STAMP #2: Le Camargue, France

An early start to drive to the Camargue. First part from Aix to the small ferry across Le Grand Rhone to Salin de Giraud was skirting Marseilles and trying to stay on smaller roads. We found the signage lacking the road numbers and got lost a couple of times in the towns. As we approached the huge container port at Port de Fos, we were sandwiched between huge semis belting along.

The ferry is tiny and takes five minutes for five euros to cross the river. The Rhone here was smaller than I expected but the current was swift and quickly caught the ferry that swung to and fro. Once we hit dry land on the west bank we had arrived in the nature reserve that is the Camargue. I was enchanted by the flat delta covered in long grasses and the salt marshes that have grey-green vegetation growing like mounds, and tiny channels, which you can barely see, wind around them. We drove along the Etang de Vaccares, one of many large sand small bodies of water left landlocked by the quantity of silt deposited by the Rhone. They are very shallow (17cms) and here I saw my first wild flamingos. Not much habitation here, though there are some ranches, big ones. The roads are narrow and rough.

We wound our way all around the etang heading for the small town of Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer where legend has it that possibly Mary Magdalene and definitely two other Marys were shipwrecked in 42 CE and made their home. One Mary was the sister of Mary, mother of Jesus; and the other the mother of the apostles, James and John. With the two Marys came Sara, whose origins are in question. Some say she was their servant, others say not. It is Sara, not Mary Magdalene, who is also venerated in this church. She is the patron saint of the Romany gypsies who gather in large numbers every May on a pilgrimage.

Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer is a seaside town with all the touristy stores selling beach toys, postcards, and silly souvenirs. The part around the church dedicated to the three Marys is pedestrian and more enjoyable to wander through than the beach front. However, the best restaurants and cafes are overlooking the Mediterranean.

The church resembles a fortress from the outside and indeed was built as one that housed the local population when threatened by besieging armies. It has a well in front of the altar. Inside is filled with paraphernalia about the Marys - most is tacky. The building dates from the 12th century, but there was a sanctuary as early as the 5th on a wooded island. The town took shape at the same time and ramparts enclosed it. The remains of the two Marys were discovered in the crypt in 1448. Since the early 1300s, the church has attracted pilgrims.

NOTES FOR LATER: Lunch at Le Piccolo - huge seafood buffet. Bright red, cheery tablecloths. Outside. Mussels were the most delicious I've had, tho' small. Lashings of garlic and parsley.

Bird park - raptors, wild flamingos in etang. Two in flight. Egrets, storks, and a muskrat. Did a short walk around one etang before checking in to our hotel - Auberge Cavalieres.

Hotel - set between two etangs. Bouries, stables, horse rides,big pool - all overlooking water - and a glorious restaurant - outside, inside, and we were in the courtyard. One of white horses across a stream greeted us as we opened our patio door. Dinner: Pointus with aoli, fillet de taureau, cheese or dessert. I had raspberry tart - divine. Rose to drink. Delicous. Dinner and breakfast is included. My perfume was bug repellent and garlic!! The mosquitos are severe in the marshes and I got badly bitten on the walk at the bird park.

Tomorrow - pix of stables and morning ride. Jeep ride till lunch.

IMAGES: (c) Julie H. Ferguson 2011




RECENT POSTS:
STAMP #1: Le Camargue
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STAMP #1: LE CAMARGUE

Just home after two wonderful days in the Camargue in the south of France, west of the Rhone delta. Could have spent a week. Too tired to post tonight, but here are a few pix to get you interested:




Two white horses of the Camargue

Flamingoes take up to four years to become pink. The colour comes from the carotene in the shrimp they eat

A bull round-up. The cowboys are guardiens and the Camargue bulls are bred for the French version of bullfights where none are killed.

The restaurant terrace at our hotel that was also a riding stable

A horse trek in the salt marshes of the Camargue










IMAGES: (c) Julie H. Ferguson 2011

Recent posts:
STAMP #2: Le Camargue
STAMP #3: Le Camargue