Late August means the grape harvest starts soon (or is underway) in Provence. In Côtes du Rhone vineyards, this can only begin after the proclamation by the Grand Maître de la Commanderie at the Ban des Vendanges in Avignon on August 30 and 31, 2024. This festive wine-themed event is free to the public. If you are a Provencal rosé and beautiful photography fan, we recently reviewed The Book of Rosé about Château d’Esclans Vineyard and its Famous Wines.
If you like bubbly water, Gayle Padgett recently visited the PERRIER® Museum. Do you need some ice with that water? Please read our recent article about ice houses (glacières) and the history of ice production in Provence.
The Camargue is a unique part of the region where the Rhône River meets the Mediterranean. When Sue Aran, the founder of French Country Adventures, takes her clients to this wild and wonderful part of Provence, and they stay in Hôtel Les Templiers, it’s so comfortable that it feels like home.
Keep reading about what’s on and what to expect in Provence in late August.
Tags: Explore Provence, France
It’s Provence’s marshland. The Rhône River ends 800 kilometres from its glacial source in Valais, Switzerland, as it reaches the Mediterranean Sea. Like a wide yawn, the two branches of the Rhône – the Grande Rhône and the Petit Rhône – empty their watery cargo at the mouth of the river. This area of Provence known as the Camargue, part of the Bouches du Rhône (mouths of the Rhône), is Europe’s largest river delta (930 square km) and a wetland of significant size.
The white horse of the Camargue region is also quite an interesting story in that they effectively roam free from birth until the age of three. As yearlings, they are also branded with the owner’s brand; they are then separated from their mothers and set free into the marshes to grow and change colour. Unique to the breed is that they are born dark in colour, and as they mature at age 4 or 5, they attain the grey-white colour, which signifies the Camrague region horse. The horse tends to be large-limbed but small in stature, with enormous heads for their size and has a coat deemed grey/white when fully matured. At three years, they are finally corralled. At this point, they are neck reigned, making them easier to ride, as the rider or gardian should only need one hand to control them properly. Only the male horses are tamed and get broken in, while the mares are typically bred for reproduction.
The Camargue bull is unique in that its environment largely shapes it. Jet black in part to deal with the region’s heat. The bulls live in herds called “manades,” Small in stature, its head and body are quite slight, but its horns are massive, they rise up straight pointed to the sky. The breed has never been able to be domesticated, the primary use for these animals is for bullfighting events. These bulls are bred to fight and work intermittently. Branding only occurs once the cows and bulls are yearlings, so North American branding techniques would be tough to follow. These bulls are for bullfighting, bull running (along “courses à la cocarde”), and other rituals. These bulls have become a symbolic representation of power and the strength of life, they have gained reverence and importance in the community as to reflect the heritage of times past.
Read more about the Camargue, the town of Aigues Mortes, and the salt flats.
Tags: Camargue, Camargue Horse, Explore Provence
At this point in the summer, tiny white snails often cling to vertical surfaces (plants, poles, signposts) in the countryside of Provence in the South of France. It took a friend to point out that while it might be hot, getting above ground level allows these creatures to survive the hottest weeks of the summer. So, the message to all of us is to slow down and enjoy the hot August days and nights in Provence. Here are some tips and articles about life in Provence in August.
A rainstorm often changes the seasonal temperatures around August 15th, a public holiday. As the days pass, the cicadas’ chanting seems to end overnight, leaving behind unusual quiet. Grapes in green, red, and purple shades grow plump and sweet, promising a bountiful harvest as the anticipation mounts in the vineyards. Here is a reference guide for the wine regions and wineries for those who enjoy Provencal wines.
Make this easy recipe for green olive “cake.” It’s a savoury snack perfect for the cocktail hour with chilled rosé.
Tags: Provence Newsletter, Summer entertaining, Summer in Provence
