A Day in the Life of a Camargue Cowboy

Steamy, sweaty, and as flat as the plains of Nebraska, the marshy delta of the Rhône has been called a less fertile version of the Nile delta. The waterlogged flatlands encompassing the Grand and Petit Rhône were scorned by conventional farmers throughout the centuries because of their high salt content and root-rotting murk.

However, the area was considered a fit grazing ground for the local black-pelted longhorn cattle, so a breed of cowpokes and cowboys evolved on these surreal flatlands, whose traditions remind one of Dodge City combined with primal hints of ancient Celtic lore. These French cowboys, caretakers of the cattle that survive amid the flamingos, ticks, hawks, snakes, and mosquitoes of the hot, salty wetlands, are known and loved by schoolchildren as les gardiens.

The tradition of les gardiens originated in the 1600s, when local monasteries began to disintegrate and large tracts of cheap land were bought by private owners. Wearing their traditional garb of leather pants and wide-rimmed black hats, the gardiens present a fascinating picture as they ride through the marshlands on their sturdy horses. Their terrain isn't the romantic wide, open space of America's West, but consists instead of monotonous stretches whose highest point might be a mound of debris left from a medieval salt flat. The gardiens tend not to be overly communicative to outsiders; in speaking to one another, they use a clipped, telegraphic form of Provençal whose syntax would make members of the Académie Française shudder. Once the gardiens lived in distinctive, single-story cabanes with thatched roofs and without windows; bulls' horns were positioned above each building's entrance to drive away evil spirits. But today motor homes and caravans are beginning to appear in the area.

An ally in the business of tending cattle is the strong, heavy-tailed Camargue horse, probably a descendant of Arabian stallions brought here by Moorish invaders after the collapse of the Roman Empire. Brown or black at birth, these horses develop a white coat, usually after their fourth year. Traditionally, they were left to fend for themselves during the stifling summers and bone-chilling winters without sheltered stables.

Today, in the world of modern tourism, the gardiens have become living symbols of an antique tradition that hasn't changed much -- the cattle still run semiwild, identified by the brand of their manadier, or owner. However, today you can expect to see fewer gardiens than in the past. They seem willing to participate in tourism only up to a point. Reminders of their traditions are seen in the felt-sided cowboy hats as well as commemorative saddles and boots whose style resembles that of cowherds on the faraway plains of Spain.

The best center for exploring the Camargue is Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer, which lies 19km (12 miles) east of Aigues-Mortes, but is best reached from Arles, a distance of only 15km (9 miles) to the north. Five buses a day leave from Arles to Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer, but only one on Sunday. The bus ride from Arles takes less than an hour, costing 5€ ($6.50) one-way. For information in Arles, call Autocars Telleschi/Catreize (tel. 04-42-28-40-22). Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer does not have a bus station: you are let off at place Mireille. At this point, you can rent a bike for further exploration at Le Vèlo Santois, 19 rue de la République (tel. 04-90-97-74-560), costing 15€ ($20) per day. Your passport or ID is taken as a deposit. The cash-only outfitter is open daily in July and August from 9am to 7pm, off season daily 9am to noon and 2 to 7pm. It is closed in December.

A Day in the Life of a Camargue Cowboy -- The Camargue, where the cowboys of France ride the range, is an alluvial plain inhabited by wild horses, fighting black bulls, roaming Gypsies, pink flamingos, lagoons, salt marshes, wetlands, and gluttonous mosquitoes. Explore the rugged terrain by boat, bike, horse, or jeep.

With the most fragile ecosystem in France, the Camargue has been a national park since 1970. It's known for its small white horses, whose ancestors were brought here by the Arabs long ago. The horses roam wild in the national park, guarded by cowboys, or gardiens, who wear large felt hats and carry long three-pronged sticks to prod the cattle. The cowboys live in thatched huts called cabanes. No more evocative sight can be had in the Camargue than that of the proud snow-white horses running at liberty through the marshlands, with hoofs so tough that they don't need shoes. It is said that their long manes and busy tails evolved over the centuries to slap those pesky mosquitoes.

Flora and fauna abound where the delta of the Rhône River empties into the Mediterranean. The bird life is the most luxuriant in Europe. The area, which resembles the Florida Everglades, is known for its colonies of pink flamingos (flamants roses). They share living quarters with some 400 other bird species, including ibises, egrets, kingfishers, owls, wild ducks, swans, and ferocious birds of prey. The best place to see flamingo colonies is around Ginès, a hamlet on N570, 5km (3 miles) north of Camargue's capital, Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer.

Exploring the Camargue is best undertaken on the back of a camarguais horse. The steeds can take you into the interior, which you couldn't see otherwise, fording waters to places where the black bulls graze and wild birds nest. You'll find two to three dozen stables (depending on the time of year) along the highway from Arles to Stes-Maries. Virtually all of them charge the same daily rate, 80€ ($104) or 14€ ($18) per hour, including a picnic lunch. The rides are aimed at the neophyte, not the champion equestrian. They're so easy that they're recommended even for those who have never been on a horse before.