Spirit, intelligence and speed are the qualities of the Camargue bull...

... qualities that it demonstrates in the bull games ("course camarguaise"). The bull games are an essential part of Camargue traditions and attract enthousiastic crowds. In the bull games it is the bull, not the man, who is the hero, even though some of the "razeteurs" (men dressed in white who try to grab the ribbon attached between the bull's horns) are local celebrities. Each bull has a name, and these names appear on the posters, as opposed to the corrida posters where only the names of the bullfighters can be seen. Certain bulls, like Goya, have been immortalized in statues erected in local villages. Others, like Rami, have been buried on the farms where they lived all their lives.

From the beginning of April to the end of October, games take place in the arenas of all the villages around Arles. Each year on the first Monday in July, the "Cocarde d'Or" (which was first held on July 2, 1928), takes place in the Arles arena. It is the most prestigious of the bull games and the most important event of the taurine season.
The « trophée des As » is the reward won by the best « razeteur » of the season. The final takes place in Arles at the beginning of October, every two years.

During the summer, from June to the end of August, the Arles arena organizes Camargue bull games every Wednesday at 5:00 PM.

Historic survey of the Camargue bull games

The games began as simple farm games when farm workers and animals enjoyed teasing and fighting with the bulls. The oldest written record of a bull game in Arles dates from 1402, when a race was organized in honor of Louis II, Count of Provence. Later, at the end of the 19th century, the game became less cruel and it was only men who “played” with the bulls : objects (flowers, scarves, red-white-and-blue ribbons, cocardes displaying the ranch colors) were attached to the bull’s horns to be snatched by young amateurs.

In the 1890s, bull raisers began to realize the potential of the “Camargue” race of bulls. Because of its morphology and combativity it was better for games than for work or for meat production. From the beginning of the 20th century on, the best bulls regularly confronted the master “razeteurs”. It was at that time that the red cocarde ribbon was systematically attached between the horns and prizes were awarded to the man who could grab the ribbon : the “course libre” or free race was born. Then regulations concerning the ribbons and the “crochets”, the comb-like instrument that the razeteurs use to cut the strings attaching the ribbon, were adopted. The true razeteurs dressed only in white and were the only persons allowed in the arena. Later prizes were awarded for strings and tassels. The official organization controlling the games today is the Fédération Française de la Course Camarguaise .