The cycle of rice
A crop that grows with its feet in the water
and its head in the sun
Crop calendar
The Camargue
The Camargue is a natural region formed by the Rhone Delta located near the Mediterranean Sea.
Due to its climate and location, it is a very good place for growing rice–the only one in France. Biodiversity in the Camargue is very high with interactions that are essential to its survival.
Preventing the rise of sea salt inland, rice fields have shaped this ancient marsh, creating a balance between people and nature.
Rice farming
In organic farming, tillage is crucial. Crops depend on it.
Crop rotation.
It is not possible to grow rice every year. We therefore rotate crops. For example, sunflowers, which grow very well in the Camargue, are used to restructure the soil with their deep root system that makes them a good precrop.
Level plots are essential for successful rice growing. Controlled by GPS, the goal is to have a perfectly flat field so that the water level can be managed homogeneously for each plot.
Irrigation canals
transport water to the rice fields. In the Camargue, the water generally comes from the River Rhône. Water management is a full-time job and is the key to success.
The rice is broadcast directly into the water with a seeder and a tractor with iron wheels.
Water management is crucial when rice flowers.
The rice harvest takes place from September to October. The result of a whole season of work, it is an important moment.
In early October, the rice is dried, cleaned and collected in our silos. A joyful time of the year.