Here in Terre d'Argence, Camargue race is the king of sport. There is no village that does not have its arena, in which men measure their bravery in front of the bull. Explanations !
What is Camargue Race?
Camargue Race was first called “freestyle race”, because this activity did not really have rules. The race gradually turned into a real sport during the 20th century with the introduction of a strict regulation.
The completion of the evolution comes with the creation, in 1975, of the French Federation of Camargue Racing, recognized as such by the Ministry of Sports.
Today Camargue race is practiced in some departments of the lower Rhône valley: Bouches du Rhône, Gard, Hérault and in some villages of Vaucluse. Beaucaire is one of the oldest cities of bullfighting traditions, descriptions of games date back to the 17th century.
These races are part of the summer parties’ program and it involves the running of six bulls one after the other. Raseuters (men in white) must, by their skills, pick up the award-winning attributes attached to the horns of the animal (cockade, tassel and strings). The taurine season ends in autumn with the Trophée des As’ final crowning the best raseteur of the season and the best bull called Biou d'Or.
More than a game, a real sport
Recognized as a true sport since the 1970s, the Camargue race honors men and bulls. Raseteurs are the main players in the Camargue race. They usually face two, three or more bulls, an animal called “cocardier”, a castrated bull very bright and light, from which they try to remove the award-winning attributes that decorate its head.
Raseteurs are classified by categories, from aspiring raseteurs to the most experienced. Their activity require a good knowledge of the bull, strong technical qualities and a lot of skill, as well as a perfect physical condition. They are helped by “tourneurs” whose role is to fix the bull and properly place it before its load.
The Camargue race is different from the Andalusian race in many aspects, including in the important fact that it does not practice bulls killing.
In Camargue, the bull is worshipped like a king. It is also the bull that is honored, it is indeed its name and not the one of the raseteur that is displayed when entering the arena.
From April to October, Camargue races animate the villages’ arenas of Terre d'Argence and surrounding areas.
Camargue Race in Beaucaire
It is in Beaucaire, capital of Camargue race, that Count Jérôme Dulong offers the population of the city a bull release to celebrate the wedding of his daughter in the 18th century. In 1825, a ferrade of 100 bulls was organized in the swamps between Beaucaire and Bellegarde.
Between 1829 and 1835, bull races were held in the castle. The first arenas, first wooden and then stone, date back to the mid-19th century. Beaucaire saw the birth in 1903 of one of the most titled raseteurs, the best of the best Julien Rey. The Palme d'Or trophy was created in 1929. The Beaucairois Paul Laurent created his manade in 1944. He took over the direction of the arenas of Beaucaire and many others in the area. He is at the head of one of the most titled manades in history (his son Henri, his grandson Patrick and his great-grandson Paul still run the farm). The Beaucaire arenas bear the name of the Pope of the “Bouvine” Paul Laurent and one of his star bulls Goya has its statue in a prominent place in the city.
No city or village escape the Fé di Biou, faith and passion for Camargue’s traditions !
