Salin-de-Giraud

43.414 4.73Coordinates: 43 ° 25 ' N , 4 ° 44' E

Salin-de-Giraud

The place Salin-de-Giraud is in the area of the municipality Arles in the French department Bouches-du-Rhône , on the south-eastern edge of the Camargue and on the right bank of the Rhone main arm Grand Rhône . It has about 2,100 inhabitants. The Salin part of the name refers to the extensive saltwater saline south of the village .

history

Rue des Écoles in the Solvay district with a Belgian-style row of houses

The place itself was founded in 1856 for the workforce of the Merle company, which exploits the salt works and belongs to the Salins du Midi group . Forty years later, a chemical plant for the Belgian company Solvay was established . The townscape in the Solvay quarter , which is more reminiscent of Belgian than southern French settlements, also dates from this period . The population decreased due to the decline in salt production from sea salt . Only with the advent of tourism, mainly on the Plage d'Arles , a relatively undeveloped stretch of beach on the Golfe du Lion east and west of the mouth of the Rhône, new sources of income were added for the residents.

Efforts to gain independence from the municipality of Arles have failed several times since 1904, most recently in December 2007.

town hall

Phare de Faraman

traffic

Salin-de-Giraud can be reached from Arles via a road that runs parallel to the Rhône. A narrow road leads through the salt pans to the Plage de Piémanson beach section to the west of the Grand Rhône . After Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer there are about 30 kilometers of footpaths, some of which run along the beach or through the nature reserve Étang de Vaccarès .

Since 1933 there has been a ferry connection to Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône , the Bac de Barcarin . The third boat, put into operation in 1987, transports up to thirty cars across the Grand Rhône in three minutes .

In rail freight transport, the wagons were first brought across the river on the Bac de Barcarin . From 1958 they were transported by a two-boat trajectory across the Rhône to the salt works and to the Solvay company. After 2008 the systems were dismantled.

Sights and events

In addition to the flora and fauna of the Camargue, it is worth mentioning the three lighthouses on the territory of the municipality:

Phare de Faraman
Phare de Beauduc
Phare de la Gacholle

All three can only be reached on foot or by bike. In the Arènes de Salin-de-Giraud , which dates back to the 1950s , the bullfighting event Course camarguaise takes place annually in June, July or August . Mainly in summer are Boule - and Pétanquewettbewerbe organized.

Salin-de-Giraud is about 7 kilometers as the crow flies from the beach and is not a typical tourist town. Tourists use the place primarily for shopping and dining out.