The torrential rains have turned the lands of the Crau plain into marshes, severely impacting bull farms. Michel Gallon, a family farmer, saw dozens of his animals disappear into the water. Although all have been found safe and sound, they are still wading through water and mud, making their daily feeding a difficult task.
To feed the herds, farmers are using tractors to reach drier areas and deposit rice straw and hay. However, this situation forces them to dip into their winter reserves. Extracting the young bulls destined for bullfights, such as the one scheduled for October 31 in Arles, also poses a major challenge.
The situation is critical for all farmers on the Mas-Thibert road. Louis Tardieu, whose 600 hectares of land are underwater, is using a motorboat to bring hay to ten bulls trapped by the floodwaters. At the Lautier ranch, a pedal boat was even used to reach Camargue bulls. Frédéric Lautier reports that the water level is not receding and appeals for solidarity to obtain pumps and evacuation land.
In total, about a dozen Arles bull farms are affected by the disaster. Several animals have drowned, and farmers are facing significant economic losses while seeking solutions to save their herds.
