THE CAMARGUE: A LAND OF HORSES AND RICH HERITAGE

THE CAMARGUE IS A LAND LIKE NO OTHER

Located between the Grand Rhône and the Petit Rhône, the Camargue forms a wild delta in southern France, where the land slowly dissolves into the Mediterranean Sea and silence is broken only by birds or the sound of hooves.

Here, roads give way to sandy trails lined with tamaris bushes, salt marshes, and shimmering ponds. Wildlife roams free: pink flamingos, Camargue bulls, and semi-wild horses coexist in a unique natural setting.

At the heart of this untouched Camargue lies the Bac du Sauvage, a rustic little ferry crossing the Petit Rhône. On the other side stretches the Grand Radeau, a private reserve protected by UNESCO for its exceptional natural heritage.

This site, accessible only on horseback or on foot, offers a rare glimpse of an intact Camargue, with its raw, silent beauty.

WESTERN-STYLE RIDING: HORSEBACK RIDING FOR WIDE-OPEN SPACES

At La Cavale, our rides are done in Western-style riding, also known as “American riding,” perfect for exploring the vast Camargue landscapes. Originating in the wide open plains of America, Western riding was developed out of the need to spend long hours on horseback comfortably — for both rider and horse. This discipline is built on trust between rider and horse, with the horse trained to work independently.

Unlike classical riding, where posture and control are very strict, Western riding lets you ride relaxed, often using just one hand thanks to the “neck reining” technique (holding the reins lightly on the horse’s neck). This frees your other hand, encourages better observation of the surroundings, and invites a mindful, active slow pace, fully present in the landscape.

The Western saddle, wider and equipped with a front horn, offers extra stability and a natural posture, even after hours in the saddle. This style of riding respects the natural rhythm of the horse and rider and is designed to blend seamlessly with vast open spaces.

This approach makes the ride more natural and fluid. It encourages you to take in the environment, slow down, and be grounded in the moment. It’s riding meant to last — crossing plains, skirting marshes, feeling the wind — in perfect harmony with the Camargue.

A CAMARGUE WITH A WESTERN SOUL

Few know it, but the Camargue was, at the beginning of the 20th century, the birthplace of the French western — not imported, but created right here.

In 1905, Marquis Folco de Baroncelli, poet, cattleman, and passionate defender of Camargue traditions, attended Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in Paris. After the performance, he met Joë Hamman, a young Frenchman who had been recruited by the show for his acting and stunt skills.

From this meeting sprang an extraordinary collaboration: the first European westerns were filmed here, in the Camargue — among the marshes and dunes, with white horses, gardians as extras, and vast horizons as natural sets.

Shot through the lens of its unique features, the Camargue appears as a wild land where freedom reigns.

BARONCELLI SAW IT AS A WAY TO SHOWCASE CAMARGUE IDENTITY, WEAVING A BRIDGE BETWEEN GARDIAN CULTURE AND THE IMAGERY OF THE WESTERN.

Here, the cowboys were called gardians, rode Camargue horses, herded real herds of bulls, and their stories were anything but fictional.

Even today, the Camargue carries this living memory: that of a French western, deeply rooted in a free land shaped by its traditions and vast, preserved open spaces.