The Camargue #1, Rhône Delta, France 12/13
The Camargue – It has a mystical ring for any European. Beautiful wild white horses and Gypsies gathering in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer once a year. The Camargue, the Rhône River Delta, is the largest delta in Western Europe, but it is much more than that: Fighting Camargue bulls, straw thatched white farm houses, dykes, brine lagoons, lakes and reed covered mashes, rice paddies, salt pans, migratory bird sanctuaries for thousands for birds including storks and flamingos.
Our illusions stemming from forever-reproduced photographs about the “WILD” white horses were, as the tourist office informed us with a smile, something like believing in Santa Claus. They are all owned by someone. Many farms/owners offer them for tours in the summer, and yes, there you might be able to splash through the ocean waves on an un-saddled horse…just like the pictures promise, but not in December….
We enjoyed the town of Le-Grau-du-Roi with its canal leading to the tidy harbor decorated in pre-Christmas fashion. Saintes Maries-de-la-Mer was equally pleasant though different. We visited the fortress church dedicated to Mary Magdalene, Mary Jacobé and Mary Salomé who were said to have been the first to come to the open grave of Jesus after resurrection. French legend has it that they left Egypt and arrived here by sea. The dimly lit crypt contains a pagan altar dedicated to the dark skinned Gypsy patron Sainte Sara, who might have been a servant to the other Maries. The Roma (Gypsies) gather every May 24/25 for a religious festival in her honor.
To display more photos we added the photo gallery feature. Please click on the first thumbnail (which is not the entire picture) to enlarge it and then use the arrows below the photos to view others. Anytime you wish to return to the blog, just click on the photo. Captions will only display below the thumbnails.
-
- The famous “not so wild” Camargue horses were very friendly.
-
- The white Camargue horses immediately came over to the fence for a pet or treat.
-
- Gary offers treats. Some liked apples, others carrots.
-
- The Camargue bulls are bred to fight in the ring but are not killed as bulls in Spain.
-
- Le Grau-du-Roi was softly lit in a wintry sunset.
-
- The colorful shingle was trying to entice tourists.
-
- Caught in flight.
-
- The canal of Le Grau-du-Roi leading to the protected harbor catches the last rays of the winter sunset.
-
- This imaginative Christmas tree in Le Grau-du-Roi was placed next to the draw bridge.
-
- Reflecting boats in the Winter evening sun.
-
- The church in Stes Maries-de-la-Mer was built as a fortress.
-
- Votive candles softly lit the statue of Ste Sara, the Gypsies’ patron.
-
- Music is very important in the Gypsy culture. This painting and the little violin were hung in Ste Sara’s Crypt.
-
- This iron figurine was one of many offerings brought by devoted Gypsies from all over Europe.
-
- The images of Saintes Mary Jacobé and Mary Salomé are carried in a procession to the ocean every May 25.
-
- This statue near the bull ring of Stes Maries-de-la-Mer commemorates their traditional sport.
-
- The city symbol of Stes Maries-de-la-Mer was illuminated for the Christmas season.
The Camargue – It has a mystical ring for any European. Beautiful wild white horses and Gypsies gathering in… http://t.co/IdC41lhN6M