Saint-Martin-de-Crau
| Saint-Martin-de-Crau | ||
|---|---|---|
.svg)
|
|
|
| region | Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | |
| Department | Bouches-du-Rhône | |
| Arrondissement | Arles | |
| Canton | Salon-de-Provence-2 | |
| Community association | Arles-Crau-Camargue-Montagnette | |
| Coordinates | 43 ° 38 ′ N , 4 ° 49 ′ E | |
| height | 2-447 m | |
| surface | 214.87 km 2 | |
| Residents | 13,389 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 62 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 13310 | |
| INSEE code | 13097 | |
| Website | www.ville-saint-martin-de-crau.fr | |
Saint-Martin-de-Crau is a French municipality with 13,389 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône (13) in the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur . It belongs to the Arrondissement of Arles and the Canton of Salon-de-Provence-2 .
geography
The small town with a good 11,000 inhabitants is located in the historic region of Provence near the Camargue, about 14 kilometers east of the city of Arles and 22 kilometers west of Salon-de-Provence . It is located in the center of the steppe-like area of the Crau and is surrounded by pastures and fields. Around 3000 hectares of the "Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles" are located on the Saint Martin mark.
During the Second World War, Saint-Martin-de-Crau was a field airfield for the German occupation forces in 1943/44 . In September / October 1943, the II. Group of Kampfgeschwader 76 lay here, and later from February to August 1944, the 1st (long-range reconnaissance) squadron of Reconnaissance Group 33 . Both Air Force units flew the Junkers Ju 88 .
Economy and Infrastructure
Agriculture
The area of the Crau is strongly characterized by agriculture. While olive and viticulture dominate the slopes of the Alpilles in the northern part , livestock and sheep farming predominate in the southern plains .
Industry
The factory in the suburb of “La Dynamite” has long been shut down. Land-intensive companies such as haulage companies that offer few jobs have recently set up shop. In Saint-Martin-de-Crau there are shops for daily needs, but hardly any industry. That is why most of the employed are commuters who find work in Arles, Marseille or in the industrial region around the cities of Istres , Martigues and Fos-sur-Mer . Quite a few residents of Saint-Martin come from Lorraine , who moved here to work in the Fos steelworks as the steel industry was relocated to the coast.
tourism
As in the whole of the Crau, tourism plays an increasingly important role. The area of the Crau is of interest to nature lovers because of the numerous breeding birds here, and the area rich in sights with the historical cities attracts more and more tourists. As a result, the number of private homes and camping options has increased significantly recently. However, the swarms of mosquitoes that arise in the middle of summer are unpleasant due to the countless pools in the plain. Saint-Martin-de-Crau is associated with the Alpilles Regional Natural Park as an access city .
Transport links
The municipality is connected to the cities of Arles and Marseille via two exits from the French A54 motorway ( European route 80 ). The TGV line to Marseille and a regional train with a train station near the town run past the town. The nearest international airports are in Avignon and Marseille .
Population development
Between 1968 and 1982 the town experienced a very marked increase in population, partly due to the relocation of steel smelting from Lorraine to Fos-sur-Mer.
| 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2008 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3075 | 3257 | 5551 | 10.155 | 11,040 | 11,023 | 10,979 | 12,389 |
Environmentally oriented town twinning
Mediated by Euronatur , Markgröningen in Baden-Württemberg and Saint-Martin-de-Crau entered into one of the first “environmentally oriented” town twinning in 1989 . There are large nature reserves in both municipalities. In addition, Markgröningen with its shepherd run was once a "Mecca" for regional shepherds like Saint-Martin with its shepherd festival. The city administration of Markgröningen has published a “NatUrlaub” travel guide for excursions around the twin city.
The Écomuseé in de la Crau, housed in a former sheep farm in Saint-Martin, also coordinates activities to protect the Crau . With the support of international nature conservation organizations such as Euronatur , the regional environmental association CEEP managed to place the remainder of the gravel steppe under the protection of UNESCO as a “reserve naturelle” . The Crau is an important stopover for many migratory birds and a rare habitat for endangered species such as the billy grouse , the little bustard , the triel , the red hawk and the pearl lizard .
literature
- Andreas Megerle, Jürgen Resch: The Crau - stone steppe full of life . Verlag Jürgen Resch, Radolfzell 1987.
- NatHoliday around Saint-Martin-de-Crau. Travel guide to the environmentally oriented city partnership . Ed .: City of Markgröningen (2nd edition), Markgröningen 2003.
