arles "feria" corrida| provence bullfighting
The traditional "Feria Corridas" or bullfighting in the Roman arena of Arles, are held from Easter ("Feria de Pâcques") up to the end of September ("Feria du Riz") and attract 500,000 visitors to the Provence region each year.
Each year, before the Feria, the "Espace Toro", the bull corrals located in Gimeaux, present the bulls used for the corrida and offer information about bullfighting traditions in the south of France, Provence region. Normally two fights take place per day in a famous, historic monument, the Roman arena of Arles.
In the Camargue, more than anywhere else in France, the bull is king. Bull have roamed in these marshes since antiquity, and they form part of daily life in the Provence region. Tradition and culture revolve around the bull icon, whether it's the Camargue bull, the true hero of the Camargue "running of the bulls" style event, or the "toro brave", derived from Spanish bullfighting, which first appeared in France in 1701, and takes place in arenas.
In Arles, there is now a school with approx. 30 students, who learn the basic traditions of the "toro brave" style of bullfighting, as well as the Camargue "bull running" style.
The fight is governed by the appointed local president, who insures that the traditional French bullfighting rules and regulations are respected. The "paseo" or parade is introduced by trumpet call, and all the participants are presented to the public. Then the first bull surges out of the bull pen "tori", to be observed by the torero with his cape, thus allowing him to judge the animal's peculiarities right from the beginning.
The corrida can be divided into three parts or "tercios":
- tercio de pique: the picador, on his armored and blindfolded horse, will test the courage of the bull by stabbing him with a lance, in the top of the "morillo", the mound of muscle on the bull's neck, leading to the animal's first loss of blood. If the picador does his job well, the bull will hold its head and horns lower during the following stages of the event, making him dangerous, and enabling the matator to perform his elegant, traditional passes.
- tercio de banderilles: banderillos or "peones" who assist the "torero", place three pairs of brightly coloured "banderillas" or barbs into the flanks of the bull, to weaken the enormous neck and shoulder muscles of the animal and further test it's stamina, and to encourage the bull to attack. The matador may choose to place these banderillas himself, if he so desires.
- tercio de combat ou muleta: this is the matador’s moment of glory. By using a small red cape or "muleta" in one hand, he must harmonize with the animal's movements, holding a sword or "estoquade" in the other, to deal the final and fatal blow.
The show is also everywhere in the streets of the old city of Arles. The "aficionados" or bullfighting fans, can continue their entertaining evening at one of the thirty "bodegas" over a glass of sangria. "Penas", bands of musicians, add to the festivities around the arena and throughout the city streets.
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