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At Beaujeu, we have always respected the land, as did the traditional farms in the Camargue in the past. It is still, today, the only estate in the Arles area, combining the farming of cereals, herbs and vines.
For several generations, the estate, specialising in organic farming, has been preoccupied with the environment.
This however, does not interfere with the use of modern farming methods.
At present, the vineyard covers 30 hectares. Among the grape varieties of the past, only Carignan is still used. The others relinquished their places to Merlot, Caladoc, Marselan, Chardonnays, Marsanne and Cabernet, in their strive for quality. |
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In the XIX the century, the big Camargue delta was protected from the incursions of the sea and from the floods caused by the Rhone River by dykes. Thanks to the installation of steam pumps along the two branches of the river, this allowed the area to cultivate vines as early as1875, at which time most French vineyards were hard hit by the phylloxera crisis. The Camargue alone was able to submerge its vines for 40 days or more, thus resisisting the aphid.
The downfall of the vines started in the 1940’s due to the spectacular boom in the production of rice, because France was cut off from its colonies during World War II. Major work was done at this time on the entire hydraulic system. For many decades after, the farming of vines, rice and the raising of cattle subsisted side by side.
Nowadays, most of the farms concentrate on the production of cereals (wheat grain and rice), on the raising of bulls, horses and activities for tourists, visitors.
Beaujeu is therfore the last "Mas de Camargue" where it is possible to find balance and respect of yesteryear. Ecocert certifies organic farming since 1974, but our respect for the environment was already the same for our parents and grand-parents.
© A. and JP. Fizet
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