Camargue
Labels :
Camargues,
Flamingos,
Gardians,
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer,
van Gogh
I thought I should come back at least once more about my trip to the sun some short (too long) time ago.
Just south of Arles, between the two arms of the Rhône, you will find the Camargue, Western Europe’s largest delta land. You will find a mixture of lagoons (“étangs”), marshland and cultivated land.Some 400 species of birds have their home here and it’s one of the few European habitats for the greater flamingo. Camargue is also famous for its bulls, white horses, rice, vine, salt and… mosquitoes (the birds must have something to eat). 
The famous white Camarguais horses are used by the local “cowboys” (“gardians”), breeding fighting bulls, used for corridas in Spain and in France. Bull fighting, Spanish style, are common in southern France and are big events often taking place in the old Roman arenas. In the immediate neighbourhood, the spring “ferias” with several days of corridas at Nîmes and Arles are highly popular.
On the coast line you will find the small town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, with magnificent beaches and a lot of summer visitors. It’s also the site of an annual gipsy pilgrimage (May 24) for the veneration of Saint Sarah. It’s unclear who she really was, but the best known legend seems to be that Sarah was an Egyptian black maid of Marie Jacobe, sister of Virgin Mary, and Marie Salome, mother of the Apostles James and John. After the Crucifixion, Marie Jacobe and Marie Salome, accompanied by Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea (carrying the Holy Grail), some others… and Sarah, fled from the Holy Land and their boat landed at Saintes-Maries. You can find the statues of two Mary’s and Sarah in the local church.
Van Gogh also made a short visit here in 1888 and painted some boats on the beach and some houses in the village.
The famous white Camarguais horses are used by the local “cowboys” (“gardians”), breeding fighting bulls, used for corridas in Spain and in France. Bull fighting, Spanish style, are common in southern France and are big events often taking place in the old Roman arenas. In the immediate neighbourhood, the spring “ferias” with several days of corridas at Nîmes and Arles are highly popular. On the coast line you will find the small town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, with magnificent beaches and a lot of summer visitors. It’s also the site of an annual gipsy pilgrimage (May 24) for the veneration of Saint Sarah. It’s unclear who she really was, but the best known legend seems to be that Sarah was an Egyptian black maid of Marie Jacobe, sister of Virgin Mary, and Marie Salome, mother of the Apostles James and John. After the Crucifixion, Marie Jacobe and Marie Salome, accompanied by Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea (carrying the Holy Grail), some others… and Sarah, fled from the Holy Land and their boat landed at Saintes-Maries. You can find the statues of two Mary’s and Sarah in the local church. Van Gogh also made a short visit here in 1888 and painted some boats on the beach and some houses in the village.The photos from this patchwork - and some others - can be found on my other blog "Peter - photos".
18 comments:
This is truly like a paradise Peter? So blissful WOW!
la camargue, la region de la liberté. C'est vraiment un endroit à part en France. (tu as oublié une ou deux photos des chevaux camarguais, ils sont vraiment tres beaux). Merci pour cette promenade.
I once visited Camargue, but not well enough. I have to go back one day.
Ta photo du dessus est magnifique, tu as bien fait de l'ioler. Quand on sait avec quel appareil tu l'as faite on ne peut qu'être encore plus admratif
Est ce une photo de marais salant ?
Par contre, je trouve que les flamants roses sont un peu pâlichons.
Sûrement une pénurie des crevettes (roses, pas grises, même si les grises sont DELICIEUSES) qui leur donnent leur joli teint... de rose.
Cergie:
Oui, c'est un marais salant. Oui, je trouvait aussi les flamants un peu pâlichons cetta année. Il faut peut-être se faire confirmer la raison.
need your help...
my friends going to paris in sept.. any idea how to plan the trip if they want to conquer the whole city in 3 nites... email me.. :P many thanks in advance!
Amazing background story for all your pictures.
My Website
What a beautiful place and your description makes it all lifelike.
thanks for visiting my blog!
It's like the most beautiful place I've ever seen. The flamingo, the horses, the stunning blue lake/ sea? are so breath-taking! I wish to see more pictures of it. :)
Champagne comment left for you over on R u T "soft sentiments".
Camarguais looks amazing here. Thanks for your beautiful work.
Good luck1
I have not heard that story before about Mary and Sarah....a lovely place.
drma div@:
Will do, with pleasure!
emily lin:
The flamingos are in a laggon. The last pics (with boats etc;) are from the sea (Mediterranean). I will send you some pictures.
chuckeroon:
Will check!
Everybody:
Thanks for your kind comments!
Belle région, fort menacée de diverses manières...
What a beautiful region, Peter! Those flamingos are gorgeous! Sounds you had a great time!
Avec ce mauvais temps, tu n'arrives pas à quitter la Camargue. Belle région, où j'ai fait à cheval les deltats du petit et du grand Rhone, mais le cheval avait des flancs très gros et ma position n'était pas confortable du tout, tu imagines avec mes petites jambes!!J'ai beaucoup aimé aussi Aigues Morte, d'où est parti Saint Louis pour les croisades, car à l'époque cette citée se trouvait au bord de la mer, maintenant elle est à 8 km!!Et c'est là que j'ai mangé du taureau pour la première fois, on en mange pas tous les jours!!
Voilà! This is the region I had no chance to deeply enter into, when in Southern France. It's beautiful as we can see from your pics, and another must to add to a trip to the region!
the perfect place for retirement :)
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