The Crau is the ancient
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river ( main stem); ...
of the
Durance
The Durance (; ''Durença'' in the Occitan classical norm or ''Durènço'' in the Mistralian norm) is a major river in Southeastern France. A left tributary of the Rhône, it is long. Its drainage basin is .[Rhône
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...]
, and constitutes their vast flat
alluvial fan
An alluvial fan is an accumulation of sediments that fans outwards from a concentrated source of sediments, such as a narrow canyon emerging from an escarpment. They are characteristic of mountainous terrain in arid to semiarid climates, but a ...
.
Agriculture
The Crau is composed of two different parts:
The dry Crau is in the south, and has been used as pasture from
Roman times. There are around 100,000 sheep , including the
Merino sheep
The Merino is a breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep, characterised by very fine soft wool. It was established in Spain near the end of the Middle Ages, and was for several centuries kept as a strict Spanish monopoly; exports of the bree ...
.
The wet Crau is in the north and includes the ''communes'' of
Saint-Martin-de-Crau,
Eyguières
Eyguières (; oc, Aiguiera) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.
Population
See also
* Alpilles
* Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
The following is a list of the 119 communes of the Bouches- ...
,
Istres,
Mouriès, and
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label=Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province ...
. It produces the Crau hay, which benefits from an
Appellation d’origine contrôlée
Flora and fauna
*
Thyme
Thyme () is the herb (dried aerial parts) of some members of the genus ''Thymus'' of aromatic perennial evergreen herbs in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are relatives of the oregano genus ''Origanum'', with both plants being mostly indigenous ...
*
Holm oak Holm oak may refer to:
* '' Quercus ilex'', tree native to South and Southeast Europe and parts of France
* '' Quercus rotundifolia'', tree native to the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa
* ''Quercus agrifolia
''Quercus agrifolia'', the Cal ...
*
Pin-tailed sandgrouse
The pin-tailed sandgrouse (''Pterocles alchata'') is a medium large bird in the sandgrouse family. It has a small, pigeon like head and neck and a sturdy, compact body. It has long pointed wings, which are white underneath, a long tail and a fast ...
*
Little bustard
The little bustard (''Tetrax tetrax'') is a bird in the bustard family, the only member of the genus ''Tetrax''. The genus name is from Ancient Greek and refers to a gamebird mentioned by Aristophanes and others. Distribution
It breeds in South ...
*
Lesser kestrel
History
The Crau was described by
Strabo as the ''Stony Plain'' (Book IV Chapter 1).
External links
La Crau, on Arles website
River deltas of Europe
Landforms of Bouches-du-Rhône
Plains of France
Landforms of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
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