We arrive in Beaucaire,
a small regional town on the Rhone that sits in the middle of a triangle
formed by Nimes, Avignon and Arles during the Abrivado de Saint Roman. It's
the most important day of July's week-long
festival that harks back to the glory days, when Beaucaire was one of
the most powerful trading towns in Europe - feted by the count of Toulouse
and King of France. Its riverside location saw it established as a major
wine-shipping artery during Roman times, before becoming a strategic
fortress in the 11th century. Beaucaire came into its own in the Middle
Ages, hosting huge fairs that peaked three or four hundred years ago and
died out in the 19th century, when rail took over from river on the most
important merchant routes.
The Abrivado de Saint Roman offers bull running with a difference, using
prized Camargue horses, mounted by locals, to surround and herd the bulls.
They set off after a blessing at the Abbeye
Saint Roman, an underground 5th century abbey, and head to the town's
bull arena. Enthusiastic spectators line the route, walk alongside or run
ahead to avoid escaping bulls, and traditional bands drum and whistle them
along.
Lunch in the Place de la Republique is shared with a large statue of a green
dragon. Our guide, Karine, recounts the myth of the Drac, an invisible
dragon-like monster who plundered over 3,000 villagers from the area. One
who survived was a local lavender seller, taken by the creature to raise his
son. Seven years of good service later she was released, only to have her
eyes ripped out by the Drac after alerting villagers to its presence.
Unusually this dragon was not heroically slain, it remains on the loose to
terrify local children at a June festival.
The town has three harbours, including a canal area and marina that marks the
start of the Canal Du Rhône à Sete, built to connect the Rhone to the Canal
du Midi to the southwest. Its floodplain location has left it at the mercy
of the elements, the last big flood in 1993 nearly breached the town's
three-metre high walls. The bullring and old theatre are the only notable
buildings outside the flood defences.
Inside the walls, the old town wallows majestically in its former glories -
narrow, tall old town streets are punctuated by restored buildings and
hotels that merge perfectly with the faded glory of run-down facades and
ornate former merchant houses. There are churches that blend in to the
streets and a hotel de ville (town hall) funded by Louis XIV.
The Beaucaire Terre d'Argence region includes some surrounding towns and
villages. After touring the ceramic and glassware craft shops on Place de la
Republique we visit neighbouring Vallebregues for a demonstration by the Lacroix
family who have been making Provençal furniture for over 150 years.
Also part of the Terre d'Argence communité, Bellegarde has one of the best
wine co-operatives in the area, Les Vignerons de la S.C.A. La Clairette (BP
4 - Ancienne route d'Arles, 30127 Bellegarde. Telpehone 04 66 01 10 39; Clairette.bellegarde@libertysurf.fr).
There's a large selection available for tasting, an enthusiastic and helpful
manager and bottles Costieres de Nimes and local specialiy white Clairette
de Bellegarde for a bargain £2-£5.
Between Bellegarde and Beaucaire an altogether different kind of tipple is on
offer at Mas
des Tourelles. Part-museum, part-winery, it has recreated a Roman
winery, replicating the equipment, ingredients and techniques down to every
last known detail. Roman amphoras and remains of a stove found on the farm
attest to its use for wine-making two millennia before.
In the museum 25-litre amphoras that were used to transport the wine to Rome
are on display. A giant wine press has been built to slowly lower a giant
tree trunk, weighing a couple of tonnes, on to the wooden vat of grapes.
During the harvest each September a band of merry modern Roman slaves
re-enact the picking and squashing for visitors. The 'wine' is not as we
know it, containing a host of spices along with sea water for preservation
as well as honey and other additives that are enough to have connoisseurs
choking, crying and spluttering into their spittoons. They do produce some
good modern wines including a Costieres de Nimes to take the fowl taste
away.
After a gourmet dinner in the excellent Auberge
de l'Amandin, it's back into town where the party is in full swing. In
the Place de la Republique, the Drac has ceded control of the 17th century
square to the masses partying to the sounds of local band Ricoune.
Plenty of bouncy Gallic flair is displayed by the band with obligatory
accordian, middle-aged lead singer and a strange fellow dressed in a white
suit with panama hat and silly cigar. We bump into Karine who gives us a
rough translation of a typical song - a bull is feeling randy so goes into a
bar to pick up a cow or two and drink pastis, the local aniseed aperatif.
Rural, farming themes are much in evidence, so it's no surprise to discover
their classic 1994 album is called La Vache ("The cow"). The
welcoming locals are in full voice and high spirit.
After the Gallic fun it's back to our rural accommodation. Domaine
des Clos is a converted farmsted or mas, one of the biggest and
best in the region, a former winery with apartments and luxury rooms
surrounding a lawned courtyard, a couple of acres of gardens with olive
tress and palms and a large swimming pool, not to mention various barbecue,
games and lounge areas. David and Sandrine Ausset escaped the city with
their young family and have undertaken much of the design and redevelopment
work.
We enjoy Sandrine's homemade jams over breakfast then set off for Avignon, an
easy day trip from Beaucaire, heading first to the neighbouring town of Villeneuve
lez Avignon across the Rhone. It was built up around a 6th century abbey
from the 13th century onwards, first by the Count of Toulouse. It became
part of the French kingdom in 1272, and its imposing fortress was built
during the Hundred Years War. The abbey gardens inside the fort are finest
in early summer and afford excellent views across to Avignon and further
afield to Mt Ventoux and Chateauneuf de Pape.
