Events in Provence: Arles Gardian Day
The picturesque city of Arles is located 20 km away from Benvengudo hotel. The city has a rich history and culture and boasts a number of events for holidaymakers to enjoy during your stay at Benvengudo. The Fete des Gardians a Arles (Arles Gardian Day) is one of those events.
A gardian is a mounted cattle herdsman in the Camargue delta in Provence, southern France. The work is akin to that of the charro or cowboy.
Taking place on May 1st, this event celebrates the history and heritage of Arles and marks the anniversary of the founding of the ancient brotherhood of the herdsmen of St. George in 1512, the oldest fraternity still active and celebrates the life of the cattle herders of the Camargue. During this festival, a Queen of Arles will be chosen.
The Camargue
The Camargue is a natural region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône.
The city has hosted the festival for over 500 years and the men and women of Arles dress in the Arles costume of the 17th century and are accompanied by the Gardians on their white horses. They parade through the streets of Arles to the Notre Dame de la Mayor church for a blessing in the ancient language of Provence.
The Parade
The parade through Arles features women in silk and lace dresses reminiscent of an early impressionist painting and are accompanied by the men of Arles in their costumes and by the flute and drum players who perform traditional music. The festival then moves to the 12,000 seat, Roman Coliseum built in 90 AD, where the Camargue horsemen and women put on a display of traditional horsemanship skills.
The games include riding skills where the men circle the ring at a gallop and try to grab oranges balanced on a tray by young women. Another game involves three men on horseback who have a friendly fight over the possession of a bouquet of flowers offered by a young woman.
Female riders lead their horses through dance steps to the traditional music of the festival. On their white Camargue horses the men and women of Camargue demonstrate the traditions of the Feria, the bull herding horsemanship techniques used in the Camargue to round up the bulls and to prepare them for the non-lethal bullfights of Provence.
Benvengudo Hotel is a 4 star luxury boutique hotel located in Les Baux-de-Provence. Set in an authentic Provencal country house, its idyllic location offers a perfect base from which to explore this remarkable region in the South of France.
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