Every autumn, in Marguerittes, the Safran de Camargue association celebrates the harvest of this “red gold” as precious as it is capricious.
In Marguerittes, the saffron harvest has been accompanied for seven years by a friendly and sunny festival, well anchored in southern tradition. This annual meeting is organized by the Safran de Camargue association, which strives to discover this rare and precious spice in all its facets, from steaming dishes to cultural anecdotes. A gastronomic, agricultural and educational festival, where passionate producers and curious visitors come together.
A red gold threatened by the climate
“This party was born from a simple question”says Yves Texier, at the origin of the event and recent gold medalist in the Gard Gourmand 2024 competition for his saffron syrup. “People asked me: “saffron, we would like to see it!” So, we decided to invite him to the party.” And even if the harvest of saffron, this precious red gold, is modest this year, on this Sunday, November 3, the spectacle is still there.
Midi Libre – Pierre Meuriot
If this spice is precious, it is also because its cultivation is capricious. Antoine Bogard, member of the association, explains with a touch of disappointment: “This year the harvest was very short. The Indian summer worked against us.” Usually spread over around twenty days, the saffron harvest only lasted around ten days this year, disrupted by increasingly unstable weather. Global warming, for this spice, could well become a formidable enemy.
A culinary and therapeutic star
To produce this exceptional saffron, the team from SAS Safran de Camargue and the association operates a one-hectare field in Vauvert. One hectare? This is very little for large-scale production, but for saffron, it is an immense task. Indeed, it takes around 150 flowers to obtain a single gram of saffron, and several thousand flowers for one kilo – a figure which remains a dream for many producers. “The value of saffron is ephemeralconfides Antoine, and France does not even have a market for this product. We have to be creative and add value to our harvest through by-products like syrups and others.”
Midi Libre – Pierre Meuriot
For the public, the festival is an opportunity to rediscover saffron, this spice which has crossed the ages and continents, once prized by emperors and today revisited on the plates of the south of France. “In the South, saffron is widely used in cooking. It is even coming back into fashion”smiles Antoine. Gourmet dishes, such as saffron rice, golden-scented puree, or duck breast topped with saffron syrup, tempt the taste buds of lunchtime visitors. But saffron does not just seduce the palate: this spice is also prized in herbal medicine for its antidepressant properties. A super-ingredient, rich in benefits and promises.
