Crau
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Crau_biome_area_map-fr.svg/290px-Crau_biome_area_map-fr.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Crau_-_May_2007_-_by_Mikani.jpg/270px-Crau_-_May_2007_-_by_Mikani.jpg)
The Crau is the ancient confluence of the Durance and Rhône, and constitutes their vast flat alluvial fan.
Agriculture
The Crau is composed of two different parts:
The dry Crau is in the south, and has been used as pasture from Roman times. There are around 100,000 sheep as of 2007[update],[citation needed] including the Merino sheep.
The wet Crau is in the north and includes the communes of Saint-Martin-de-Crau, Eyguières, Istres, Mouriès, and Arles. It produces the Crau hay, which benefits from an Appellation d’origine contrôlée
Flora and fauna
- Thyme
- Holm oak
- Pin-tailed sandgrouse
- Little bustard
- Lesser kestrel
History
The Crau was described by Strabo as the Stony Plain (Book IV Chapter 1).
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crau.
- La Crau, on Arles website
43°34′14.93″N 4°51′15.88″E / 43.5708139°N 4.8544111°E / 43.5708139; 4.8544111
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