The Last Cutters of Reeds

In south of France, in a place
called "Small Camargue", they
are only a few to go on cuting
reeds by hand. In the swamps
of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting
"sagne" - provençal word for
reeds - is an old tradition. But
this seven hundred years old
tradition, little profitable, is in
process
of
disappearance.
We've met the last cutters of
reeds, the "sagneurs".
The last cutters of reeds
Photos ©José Nicolas/Lightmediation Text ® Anne Sophie Prusak
Contact- Thierry Tinacci Lightmediation agency +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 thierry@lightmediation.com
418-01: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.- The reeds in the area of Galician
418-01: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.- The reeds in the
418-02: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance. -The reeds in
418-03: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance. -The reeds in
418-04: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Harvest with
418-04: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Harvest with machine
418-05: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Harvest with
418-06: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-The last cutters of
418-07: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance. -Hand cutting
418-08: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance
418-10: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-André Calba, cutter since 20 years
418-09: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-André Calba,
418-10: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-André Calba,
418-11: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-André Calba,
418-12: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.- André Calba,
418-15: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-André Calba, cutter since 20 years
418-13: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-André Calba,
418-14: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-André Calba,
418-15: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-André Calba,
418-16: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Bernard Testud,
418-17: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Bernard Testud, hand cutter
418-17: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Bernard Testud,
418-18: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Bernard Testud,
418-19: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Fabrication of
418-20:In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Fabrication of
418-19: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Fabrication of doormat with reeds at Perret's
418-21: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Fabrication of
418-22: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Roof and
418-23: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Roof and
418-24:In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Framework and
418-21: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Fabrication of doormat with reeds at Perret's
418-25:In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.
418-26: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Nicolas Bouterin,
418-27:In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Nicolas Bouterin,
418-28: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.
418-03: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance. -The reeds in Vauvert
418-29: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Nicolas Bouterin
418-30: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Hand cutting
418-31: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance;
418-32:In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-The reeds in the
418-29: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Nicolas Bouterin 16 years old cutter
418-33: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-The reeds in the
418-37: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-The reeds in the
418-35: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.
418-36: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by
hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old tradition.
But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-The reeds in the
418-08: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance
418-22: In south of France, in a place called Small Camargue, they are only a few to go on cuting reeds by hand. In the swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting sagne ( provençal word for reeds ) is an old
tradition. But this seven hundred years old tradition, little profitable, is in process of disappearance.-Roof and framework making
The last cutters of
reeds
In south of France, in a place called
"Small Camargue", they are only a few to
go on cuting reeds by hand. In the
swamps of Vauvert and Gallician, cutting
"sagne" - provençal word for reeds - is an
old tradition. But this seven hundred years
old tradition, little profitable, is in process
of disappearance. We've met the last
cutters of reeds, the "sagneurs".
Wearing high waders, a sickle in the hand,
André Calba sinks into swamps. He seizes
an armful of reeds, turns it down towards
him and he slices it. The day hardly points
on the swamps of Vauvert, in Small
Camargue. André counted three white
frosts and a blow of Mistral before
beginning the harvest of Phragmites
australis, the reed - sagne in provençal
language. Leaves felt, now sagne is rising
straight, golden and ready to be cut.
With the curve of his "sagnadou" - his
sickle-, he checks the width of the
package, which he ties up with a wire. He
removes the "courtillon" - reed fragments-,
compress the bundle of sticks against the
flat bottom of his boat and put it in
"fan-shaped" on the already harvested
packages. These gestures, taught by his
father, André repeated them every day,
from November untill April, during twenty
years. This time, he will stay only one
week in the middle of the swamp, only for
pleasure.
" Twenty five years ago, I returned on
average 200 packages a day. It was high,
fine and magnificent sagne. We were
about fifty sagneurs and we earned good
money. Today, they are no more than four
or five men who cut by hand. Working
"from night to night", they make maximum
120 packages, because the sagne is
rarer."
André works henceforth in a factory, but
he does not resist to the appeal of swamp,
where he comes to ressourcer. " It is a
magic universe. When I am in the middle
of the swamp, surrounded with reeds of
several metres high which swing and sing
in the wind, I feel perfectly free. The
shouts of birds, the contact of animals,
reed that cracks under my steps ? I can
not do without it. "
A tradition which began in the XIVth
century
Old ancestors of André already harvested
sagne. On February 4th of 1302, Guigon
de Roche, Lord of the country at this time,
grants the "true inhabitants" the right to
pick reeds on a part of his swamp. This
privilege still lasts today, on the municipal
parts of the swamp, no need to own land
to cut sagne.
From Middle Age to the beginning of the
XXth century, sagne is cut green in
summer and it is dried on the spot. It
provides the major part of feeds of asses
and mules. Winter cut of reed is rare: it's
only used to cover herdsmen's huts and to
make some "paillassons" (doormats), reed
covers intended to protect vegetable
farmings.
After second world war, harvest of sagne
takes another dimension. The enormous
food needs in all Europe urge the
Northern countries, especially Holland, to
reclaim their swamps to gain farmlands.
They are then in scarcity of reeds, which
they use to cover the roofs of their
houses. Traders go and search new
sources of supply. They discover reed of
Camargue and its excellent quality. From
the fifties, the market develops. More and
more sagneurs start winter exploitation of
reed. It is the beginning of a golden era for
the inhabitants of Vauvert and Gallician.
" Sagne is our petroleum, André explains.
Not need to plant it, it grows by itself. You
just need to collect it. " Vauvert counts
until 120 sagneurs and this activity is very
profitable. " For a long time the price of a
reed package followed the price of one
glass of Pastis (*),André says, smiling.
With records of 235 packages a day,
sagneurs were almost rich. "
Swamp, a fragile balance.
But swamp is fragile, and it gets damaged
bit by bit. Sagneurs are not the only ones
to pace up and down its 2000 hectares.
Fishermen, hunters and breeders are as
well at home there, and they all have
different interests. Especially concerning
management of water in swamps. "
Fishermen want some water all year long
and they want to master the entrances of
water during the time of spawn, Alain
Sandoz, a biologist, notes (**), sagneurs
wishes short summer assecs and
especially a renewal of water. Breeders do
not want too much water, to have pasture
land. Hunters of waterfowl, who are an
important pressure group, require a lot of
water in summer to be able to attract
game as soon as the hunting season
begins, but also to be able to move their
boats in the swamp. "
To manage the entrances of water their
way, private owners settle their own dikes.
Result: untimely drainings and salt and
polluted water entrances via the Rhone
canal in Sète deteriorated the swamp and
the ponds. " We all have a part of
responsibility, André agrees. Now we try
to repair the damages, but it is too late. At
least concerning Sagne. The surfaces of
exploitation decreased, and the reed is
less dense, less high, less beautiful. " And
the harvest is less profitable.
Only four or five sagneurs left ?
" Today cutters of reeds change their
profession, either because they are
demoralized by the state of the swamp, or
because they do not earn enough money
any more. " The profession, which besides
has to face the competition of reed from
Hungary and Turkey, is in full
transformation. To win in profitability,
some people imagine to adapt agricultural
machines to cut reeds more quickly. It is
the choice of both André's brothers. " A
machine cuts the equivalent of 1200
packages a day. Between eight and ten
times more than a traditional sagneur. "
Once his boat is filled with a beautiful
gilded dome, André arranges his tools the sagnadou, the stone of sharpening
and the wire. Thanks to of a big perch, the
"partègue", he propels the boat through
canals, "roubines" and "ragues" according
to their size, which form a real labyrinth.
Sagne flaps heavily on its long stalks, its
plumes sometimes veiling the sun. The
boat slides noiselessly on black waters,
creating depressions which send back
circles from a bank to the other. An eagle
glances through majestically the scene. "
Sometimes I still get lost, he regrets.
When the reed is very high and when it
closes behind me, I have no more point of
reference, it is impossible to know where I
came from. " Stories of sagneurs flooded,
lost or swallowed by quicksands are
famous in the village.
...and a dozen of "tie-men"
André Calba goes down from his boat and
greets sixteen-year-old Nicolas Bouterin.
A little farther, on the bank, an huge heap
of cut sagne is lying. Nicolas is a
"tie-man". " Machines cut sagne on large
surface areas, weather it is beautiful or
not. Then it is necessary to select it, and
to put it in packages, he explains. We are
a dozen of "tie-men". He takes an armful
of sagne and spits in his palms before
catching his "comb", a rake with a short
handle. He "espousse" with his comb to
bring down roots and old reeds. The
fragments of sagne fly around him. Just
like André, he binds the package and pulls
to break the wire. " Every "tie-man" has
his own way to binds. If somebody steals
a package to me and puts it in his heap, I recognize it at once. " Nicolas
left school last year and does not imagine his life anywhere else that in
the swamp.
" Since I am young, I like reeds and swamps. As soon as I can, I come
there. Here you are quiet, nobody annoys you and the nature is
magnificent. I know almost all the birds: Rousserolle, Mallard duck,
Coot, Bittern ? " He binds around 120 packages a day. For each of
them, he gets two francs.
A life cycle of 30 years and a perfect insulation
Four companies buy the harvest of sagne and pay "tie-men". 10 % of
packages will become "doormats" and brooms, 90 % will be on the
roofs of herdsmen's huts or on the Dutch, English, Breton and Norman
houses. " We need approximately two weeks with two person to cover
200 m2, explains Pascal Bouchité, works foreman of the company
Perret et Fils. The Camarguaise method, it is to go up "manons", small
bundles of 10 cms diameter sticks, in stair. We begin with the bottom,
and we rise up to the summit of the roof, where we flow a little cement,
for the waterproofness. For the Breton or Norman cottages, the reed
will be put flat, short as a carpet. " Every "manon" is fastened five times
to the other ones and the insulation is perfect.
" It is a fabulous, light and extremely sturdy material, unchanging with
water. It protects from heat as from cold and it has a life cycle of about
30 years. " " Living under a reed roof is very pleasant, tenant of
herdsmen's house confirms. It is obviously necessary to ban barbecue
and cigarettes around, and it is better that there are not too many trees
in the surroundings, so that the roof is able to breath. Something is
fabulous, there is life in the roof: birds make their nests there. I can
hear them squeal, snort and witter, a true happiness. Regrettably, they
damage the roof, it is necessary to maintain it every other year." Mistral
also damages reed roofs.
" From water of swamps to roofs of houses, reed is a living and fragile
substance. Maybe that's why it has so much charm." André Calba
confirms. Even if his financial balance is henceforth somewhere else,
he did not know how to give up completly sagne. He acquired to an old
artisan a " doormats machine" and he sells some square meters of reed
mats to private individuals, to protect terraces and swimming pools of
the sun.
" It is difficult to be resolved to leave sagne and swamp when you spent
many years of your life there, he notices, a little bit nostalgic. Sagne
was gold. " A vein which runs out and which sees going out one of the
oldest occupations of Camargue, sagneurs of swamps.
Anne Sophie PRUSAK - + 33 4 96 14 02 91 - aprusak@wanadoo.fr
(*) Traditional aperitif in South of France
(**) chargé de recherche Géomatique à la station biologique de La Tour
du Valat, Arles, in « L'exploitation du roseau et les mesures
agri-environnementales dans le delta du Rhône »