La Crau
Plain
Presentation
At the foot of the Alpilles, between the Camargue and the Etang de Berre, the Crau plain covers 600 square km. Two Crau can be clearly distinguished.
At the foot of the Alpilles mountains, between the Camargue and the Berre lagoon, the Crau plain covers 600 km². Two Crau are clearly distinguished:
The more fertile northern green Crau, enhanced by irrigation by Adam de Craponne, and where several cultures are grown, including the production of "Crau hay" (AOC), particularly renowned for its nutritional value.
The dry Crau lies to the South. This semi-desert rocky plain has vegetation adapted to the climatic rigours. This landscape is called the "coussoul" in Provençal and this is where sheep have grazed since antiquity. This pastoral practice helps maintain a unique ecosystem, home to many birds including the stone curlew, the Egyptian vulture, the little bustard or the sand grouse, which only live in France in the Crau.
At Saint-Martin-de-Crau, the ecomuseum reveals the natural and human heritage of this region: fauna, flora, traditions... Admission is free and temporary exhibitions, addressing the different aspects Crau, are renewed every three or four months. The ecomuseum also issues permits access (surcharge) to the Peau de Meau Nature Reserve to discover the fauna and flora of the Crau.
The more fertile northern green Crau, enhanced by irrigation by Adam de Craponne, and where several cultures are grown, including the production of "Crau hay" (AOC), particularly renowned for its nutritional value.
The dry Crau lies to the South. This semi-desert rocky plain has vegetation adapted to the climatic rigours. This landscape is called the "coussoul" in Provençal and this is where sheep have grazed since antiquity. This pastoral practice helps maintain a unique ecosystem, home to many birds including the stone curlew, the Egyptian vulture, the little bustard or the sand grouse, which only live in France in the Crau.
At Saint-Martin-de-Crau, the ecomuseum reveals the natural and human heritage of this region: fauna, flora, traditions... Admission is free and temporary exhibitions, addressing the different aspects Crau, are renewed every three or four months. The ecomuseum also issues permits access (surcharge) to the Peau de Meau Nature Reserve to discover the fauna and flora of the Crau.
Practical information
- Visits :
- you can visit it
Contact
La Crau
13310
Saint-Martin-de-Crau
FICHE_INFO_SIMPLE_LIBELLE_DESTINATION
La Crau
13310
Saint-Martin-de-Crau
GPS coordinates
Latitude : 43.5611
Longitude : 4.77182