MERINOS D'ARLES SELECTION ©

The transhumance is the remaining relict of the nomadic life of sheep breeders in former times,

going back 10000 years till the earlier Stone Age. Today the shepherds are still forced to leave the dry plains

of Southern France end of springtime, when the climate chances to hot and dry weather and the sheep hardly

find any fresh grass.

They move the flocks upwards North towards the green pastures on the slopes of the Southern French Alps Massive,

driving them up to 2000 m altitude and more. The flocks remain during summer there, always in danger of wolves attacks

of which huge white Pyrenean dogs are trying to protect.

End of September with the increasing risk of snow the animals are brought back to the plains and remain there

till next spring.

click on the pictures to enlage