Estelle Laurent, toute la noblesse de la Camargue.
Anyone who has spent a summer’s day in the Camargue must have seen, from near or far, the bulls and white horses, the near-sacred animals of those vast expanses. Herding is a passion for Estelle, the wife of Patrick Laurent, third-generation owner of the eponymous Manade Laurent herd and estate. At first glance, nothing seemed to suggest that this law student at the university of Aix-en-Provence would take to life in the country, apart from the fact that she modelled for Souleiado, the women’s fashion and Provençal lifestyle company. The collaboration sealed her destiny, since her future mother-in-law, Annie Laurent, loved the brand, known for their iconic chemises de gardians, traditional Camargue herder shirts. “When she looked at me, she saw the ideal wife for her son! After we met in the Arena of Nîmes she was proved right,” Estelle likes to recall. It was 1996 and within a few months, the young woman was married to Patrick and his daily life. “I learnt everything from my in-laws. Now it’s all part and parcel of the life I share with my husband – the rules of Camargue races, bull breeding, the excitement when one of our animals wins a prize and becomes a super star.” Not that she has set the law aside. The herder is now a judge at the Tarascon Tribunal de Commerce, and took over the presidency two years ago. “In 2001 I created our company Les Marquises, which organises receptions, seminars and events at the ranch.” When you ask her to list the key values needed to manage a herd, she’s passionate and inexhaustible. She first cites courage, solidarity and fraternity, qualities she finds in Patrick. Together with their 17-year-old son, Paul, the family cultivates an inspiring love of the land.
Une famille unie dans la tradition.
Manade Laurent
Created in 1944, Manade Laurent is one of the oldest herds in the Camargue. Here, Camargue horses and bulls are reared in the most traditional way. For four generations, the Laurent family has shaped the estate and led an authentic lifestyle here, close to nature. The protected area is not closed, however. The Manade opens its doors to visitors for tours of the estate and herd, family get-togethers or business events with friends. It also hosts up to 800 people for private receptions. There is a whole world to discover, including the two fully restored sheepfolds – one of which exhibits memorabilia such as the trophies for the thirteen best bulls of the year (a historic record) – and the arena in which the Camargue races are held. The Manade has also served as a location for magazine and advertising photo shoots, as well as films by directors such as Luc Besson and Jacques Perrin.
By Valérie Rouger
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