Lorenzo, The Flying French Man ………
By Richard | December 31, 2008
Photo : © Photos V.F. et D - At home in Les Saintes Maries de la mer. The beautiful truck is only one year old, and already 45.000 km… Driver and artist, Lorenzo meets The Cadre Noir de Saumur (National School of Equitation) as well as the Princess of Jordan, which has gave two Arabic full-breaded horses as a gift.
Son of the sand and the sea, Lorenzo, horserider of the stars.
The story has rocked thousands of children of Camargue and made a multitud of adults fall in love with the Rhône Delta. In the movie ‘Crin Blanc’, the intrepid Folco, 10 years old, steal the stardum from the ‘gardians’ (herdsmen), and manage to tame a beautiful white Camargue stalion. The movie, more than half a century old (shot in 1952), ends with a scene where the little bohemian Folco leaves the hostile earth and swims on the back of Crin Blanc in a wavy sea towards freedom…
Lorenzo, 31, was born in Les Saintes Maries de la mer. Babeth, his mother, herself stemming from a family rocked by the equestrian traditions, has falled in love at the first sight for this wild land of horses between the Rhône Delta. It’s at 8 years old that Lorenzo starts to write his story. He gives shows in the bullrings of Camague, jumping from horse to horse; classical horse acrobatics.
With his four Camargue horses, Lorenzo jumps, spins and amazes, like Folco, a lot of people of Camargue. Standing on his horses, with a perfect complicity (with some injuries as the price to pay for their preparation), Lorenzo always wants to go higher (he’s always putting the jumping bars higher) and farer… “Since he was a child, he has always been telling me that on day he will own a big truck and leave with his horses for America”, confesses his mother.
Specialist of the Hungarian Post (The act the Hungarian Post is the realization of the dream of the Austian postman. While standing on the backs of two horses galloping side-by-side, the rider holds onto the reins while they jump over obstacles.)
At 16, Germany suggests to the self-taught horserider to abandon the horse acrobatics to dedicate himself to the Hungarian Post. Standing on his horses, he invents a show nobody has done before. With his Camargue horse, then by integrating Lusitanian horses, the bet is raised. His method is close to the ‘gift’… “Teach the horse to do more and more by himself, until he manages guessing.!” His strengh? The number of horses under the engine (up to 10) and the adrenalin he fires up in the public. Since 2005 at Cheval Passion in Avignon, Lorenzo has eased the line. He jumps obstacles placed above croup of his running horses and manages to land standing like a ‘i’ on their back, he now also whispers in their ears certain behaviors which enable them to release their freedom and amaze the public.
Two different but complementary shows. The general public appreciates his ardour, while the strict equitation elite praises his technique. In England, in front of the Queen, in the Sultana of Oman in front of the Sultan, in front of the Princess of Jordan, in front of the King of Marocco, Lorenzo seduces the crowned heads, and packs the public. At the moment, nobody succeeded in competing with him.
His chalenge now? To do more en more shows around the world, except the worldwide jumping contests. From Austria where he has bought a property, 20 horses regulary leave by road, by boat, even by plane (14 hours to go to Malaysia), for his worldwide shows. 10 more horses are in training, to replace the olders and continue to make the star shine. He’s training at the moment to manage a alignment of 10 horses for his next show. For this flying horserider, America isn’t far, like China…, in total freedom.
Julie Zaoui - jzaoui@laprovence-presse.fr - La Provence
- Lorenzo’s official site: http://www.lorenzo.fr/lorenzo/2007.html
- Google link of one of his videos. (Click on the link)
Topics: News | Comments Off
Syvette César is fighting to save her traditional herdsman hut.
By Richard | December 31, 2008
Photo © Valérie Farine -
The municipality wants to destroy it in order to redesign the village entrance.
It’s one of the symbols of Camargue, along its the pink flamingos, the white horses and the black bulls. The traditional ‘cabane de gardian’ (herdsman hut), with its whitewashed walls and his roof made of ’sagne’, is part of the postal card. Then, obviously, it’s an attractive home. For sure it isn’t Syvette César who will say otherwise. With her 26 years old daughter, this inhabitant of Les Saintes Maries de la mer lives in one of these traditional houses at the end of the avenue Riquette-Aubanel.
“I am tenant since thirty years”, she says. In a paradisiac setting, just in front of the Etang de Launes and two minutes from the Méditerranée. There is even the famous Cross of Camargue, the emblem of the region invented by the Marquis of Baroncelli. It is to say how picturesque and attracting to visitors is this place. “You should see the number of tourists who are taking photos”, she adds showing the herdsman hut.
The ultimatum
But the hut in question is maybe living its last hours. Her landlord, who rents the ground from the municipality, presses her to leave the place. Why? The house is situated on a municipal piece of land and the City hall would like to get it back and destroy it in order to redesign the entrance of the village. “Nevertheless, this day I haven’t received any official letter announcing my expropriation”, comment Sylvette César.
“Normal, answers the mayor Roland Chassain, there isn’t any procedure for the moment. We are waiting that the settlement with the owner of the hut.” The lease goes until 2010, asserts the tenant. “I don’t see why I should leave the place. I would like my tenant’s rights to be respected. But, before anything, I would like to preserve this hut which is part of the heritage of Camargue”, estimate Syvette César who has even written to the Regional Direction of the Cultural Affairs to try to have classified about fifteen huts along the sea shore. A little lost in front of what threatens her home, she took the advise of a lawyer and notified the deputy of the district, Michel Vauzelle. In the meantime, last year, the municipality has already had destroyed a similar hut on a nearby piece of land. And raises an ultimatum. “If nothing is settled in six months from now, we shall be obliged this time to proceed to an expropriation”, warms Roland Chassain.
Mathieu Girandola - mgirandola@laprovence-presse.fr - La Provence
Topics: News | Comments Off
Hosre Festival - July 11th to 14th 2008
By Richard | June 25, 2008
Another celebration of King Horse for four days in the village which becomes the place of meeting of the riders and their horse in any sorts of equestrian disciplines.
At 10:00 pm on Friday the 11th, a free show ‘ Night dream in the Camargue ‘ road of Cacharel a few hundred meters before the entrance of the village.
The Road of the Salt 2008 which will take place from 11 till 20 July will leave Méjanes on Saturday the 12th (and will arrive, this year, in Montlaur in the Aveyron). Then, at 5:30 pm in the bullrings of Méjanes, the 5th Vaccarès Trophy.
For the aficionados, the Bullfight of the Golden Réjon at 6:00 pm on Sunday the 13th in the bullrings of Méjanes (Andy Cartagena, Diego Ventura and Leonardo Hernandez) and the Bullfight of the Golden Centaur at 6:00 pm on Monday the14th in the bullrings of the Saints Marie of the sea (P.H. of Mendoza, Alvaro Montes and 3rd rejoneadores).
An equestrian show, “El Gallo”, will be given at 10 pm on Sunday the 13th at the bullrings of the Saints Marie.
Bodegas, flamenco bands, horses parades, abrivados, bandidos and roussataïo in the streets of the village will bring a festive atmosphere. R.P.
 |
 |
 |
 |
© Richard Palumbo
For the photos of the ‘Roussataïo’ click here: Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Event, News, Photos | Comments Off
Votive Feast (village festival) - June 18th to 23th 2008
By Richard | June 6, 2008
 |
 |
 |
 |
© Richard Palumbo
The day of the ‘Fête du Cheval’ (Horse Feast) during the Votive Feast of the village offers to its inhabitants, the tourists and the horses’ lovers some equestrian entertainments and shows in the arena (bullrings), a horses fair, a traditional parade in the main street of the village, some folk music, an abrivado, a bandido and a roussataïo. A feast where the Horse is King. R.P.
 |
 |
© Richard Palumbo
Click for more photos: Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: News, Story | Comments Off
Gypsies Pilgrimage 2008
By Richard | April 26, 2008
 |
On May 24th at 10:00 am a mass will open the pilgrimage. After the ceremony of the Descent of the Reliquaries (3:30 pm), Sara’s statue, the Black Virgo and Patron Saint of the Gypsies will be brought in procession from the church to the sea. The evening of prayers will begin at 8:30 pm.
A first mass will be given on May 25th at 8:00 am, followed at 10:00 am by a solemn mass of the Saints Marie Jacobé and Salomé and at 11:00 am by the procession to the beach and the blessing in the sea. The ceremony of the Ascent (Rise) of the Reliquaries will begin at 3:30 pm. (Read page ‘Pilgrimage‘)
© Richard Palumbo
The day to the memory of the Marquis of Baroncelli, on May 26th, will begin at 11:30 am with an abrivado in the streets of the village followed at 12:00 am by the ceremony at the grave of the Marquis of Baroncelli. At 3:30 pm, in the arena (bullrings), will take place herdsmen’s games, folk dances and bulls’ races (’courses de taureaux’), then a bandido will follow this entertainment and end the day and thie week-end of celebrations. R.P.
Topics: Event, News | Comments Off
Road safety
By Richard | April 26, 2008
Look out on the road!!!
Tiredness, sleepiness, inattention and it is a sure bath… The road of the Saints Marie of the sea is beautiful and the civil engineering services are even re-taring a part of it at the moment but it’s when we’re expecting it the least that an accident happens… Be careful! R.P.
 |
 |
To see the photos larger please click on them on the French version. © Richard Palumbo
Topics: Anecdote, Photos | Comments Off
Don Camillo’s and Pepone’s quarrel for the money of the bell tower is going to end soon
By Richard | April 10, 2008
 |
© Richard Palumbo
Continuation of the article of May 15th 2005
In the conflict about the use of the roof of the church which sets the father of Vrégille against the mayor Roland Chassain, the government Commissioner asked yesterday the administrative court of Marseille to agree with the priest and to order the municipality of the Saints Marie of the sea to stop the tourist exploitation of the acces on the roof. The verdict should be returned in three weeks.
” It is only the application of the law of 1905 (on the separation of the Church and the State) which mentions that the building’s management is given to the Roman Catholic Church and that the priest, me in this case, is the person in charge ” rejoiced the father of Végrille, priest of the parish, ” the justice confirms what we have been saying for eight years, that is to say, the organization of the visit of the roof cannot be made without the opinion of the Church. It is regrettable that during all this time Mr the mayor did not want to start the dialogue we asked for. ”
” We are going to wait for the judgment “, answered Mr Roland Chassain who appointed a Parisian lawyer’s office to assert the interests of his municipality and who will be able to appeal if the judgment is in favour of the Church, the visit of the roof does not hamper the church services “, mentioning the arrangements realized for this purpose. Each visitor who wants to climb the stairs of the medieval church ’s roof rampart walk has to pay 2€ down the staircase, sum which goes to the semipublic company of the village by virtue of a delegation of public utility.
The father of Végrille has ” never been hostile to the visit of the roof ” and, as a man of forgiveness, wants ” to restart on a new ground ” by being actively involved in the organistaion of this visit. R.P.
( Source: article of La Provence, The Saints Marie: the justice hears the priest’s bell sound (version))
Topics: News | Comments Off
Remake of Crin Blanc or Hidalgo? Crin Gris (Grey Hair) and the 90 km of Camargue
By Richard | April 6, 2008
Pascal Lamorisse and his filming crew were the only ones missing… It’s a remake of the film ‘Crin Blanc’, 56 years after its release, that a young foal, Crin Gris, acted in front of us this morning at the crossing of the road of Méjane and the road of Cacharel where some people waited for the riders, members of their family and\or their team, who had departed the endurance riding race at the Mas of the Cure half an hour earlier. He showed up, galloping behind some competitors’ horses, a little frantic but sure of himself; he was probably following his older brothers and sisters, full bred Arabic and others. Folco (the actor Alain Emery in the 1952 movie) was at this moment expecting to follow, running behind him…
 |
 |
© Richard Palumbo
Some men then tried to tie him with a piece of rope to stop him crossing the road but he didn’t allow them and just went away for a while in a Camargue marshland where he dreamt for a while of wild landscapes and freedom.
 |
 |
© Richard Palumbo
Taking advantage of the passage of some competitorss and the innatention of his ‘gaolers’, he escaped, crossed the road and followed the path of his elders whose riders weren’t dreaming of freedom but to do the best possible time of the 90 km equestrian long-distance race, while managing their mount. The 90 km race is a preparation and a test to know if a horse is fit for longuer distances (like 119 km yesterday in the Saints Marie of the sea, 160 km of Florac or other races in France and the around the world). Big bucks are at stake… Every year, the first ten of the best horses of endurance riding French championat are bought, for a good amont of money and if their owner is a seller, by United Arab Emirates stables for this equestrian long-distance discipline.
But wait a minute! We’ve maybe made a mistake about the film remake, we were this morning in the 2004 Joe Johnston’s movie Hidalgo, about the true story of a famous cowboy, Frank Hopkins, who ran and won, on his mustang, an historic long-distance race in the desert of Arabia. It is thus the actor Viggo Mortensen who was missing this morning, riding on Crin Gris’ back through the wild landscapes of the Camargue.
 |
 |
© Richard Palumbo
The foal was now galloping through the dried up marshlands of the wild Camargue in the direction of the village of The Saints Marie of the sea. But, after reaching a ‘roubine’ (local term: canal dug out by man), he didn’t choose the good path and, instead of crossing a bridge as the competitors of the event did, he decided to go out of the marshlands and cross the main road. It’s then that the leader of the herdsmen arrived in his 4×4 and locked Crin Gris between him and a barrier. The foal threw a last nostalgic glance to two full breds which passed behind him, letting his dream go; but which dream? Running one day a long-distance race with Viggo on his back or avoiding the men and tasting freedom, with Folco on his back, swimming through the Mediterranneen Sea towards an island where children and horses live happy. The leader of the herdsmen called Crin Gris’ owner with his mobile (which he wouldn’t have been able to do at the time of Folco and Crin Blanc, without mentioning the 4×4…), who came to look for him, catch him and return him to his herd, the full bred Camargue. Soon they are going to tame him, ride him and use him to sort out a herd of bulls or as a tourists’ ride through his native Camargue for a horse riding business.
 |
 |
© Richard Palumbo
With this curiosity and this thirst for freedom it seems that Crin Gris is on the path of his legendary ancestor Crin Blanc which hasn’t been forgotten and is still celebrated in our days in the the village (Read article Innauguration of the Crin Blanc crossroad’ from March 1st, 2008). Or maybe will he become, in spite of your short height, a racehorse racing against full bred Arabic in the Emirates sand deserts…
It is necessary to say that, observing this foal’s behavior in its morning adventure through the Camargue wilde landscapes gave me an idea of the context and situation in which Denys Colomb de Daunant was when he wrote Crin Blanc. He lived at the time in the Mas Cacharel, with his wife Monique, daughter of the Marquis Folco of Baroncelli (Folco… Isn’t it the name of the young boy in the book…? Boy/Man, what a coincidence!). Maybe one day, John Fusco, the scriptwriter of the film Hidalgo, riding a mustang through some North Amrica’s landscapes, has come accros an equestrian long-distance race… R.P.
Click on the following link for the photos of today 90 km event: Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Anecdote, Photos | Comments Off
Photos endurance horse riding event (The 130 km - 80.78 miles - of Camargue)
By Richard | April 5, 2008
The 119 km endurance riding has started this early morning at the Mas of the Cure…
For more information, read February 25th, 2008 article.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
© Richard Palumbo
Click on the link ‘Read the rest of this entry‘ to see more photos.
(Click here to see more photos of the week-end, or contact photographer : stesmaries@gmail.com)
Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Photos | Comments Off
Easter weekend 2008 in Camargue
By Richard | March 18, 2008
While the Féria of Arles, a few kilometres (37km) away from the village, will be going full swing with its bullfights and its bodégas, numerous attractions will take place this Easter weekend in the Saints Marie of the sea with three full days of animations in the arena and the street of the village. R.P.
Topics: News | Comments Off
« Previous Entries