Ecomuseum of Crau-Maison de la Crau

Museum Overview

La Crau has its home: the Ecomusée

The Crau Ecomuseum, managed by the Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, reveals the secrets of a little-known and unique territory in France: the Crau Plain.
Its objective is to enhance the natural and human heritage of the Crau: its contrasting landscapes between arid steppe and green hedgerows, its agro-pastoral activities with high environmental stakes and its extraordinary nature inherited from the African steppes.
Built in a playful and educational way, the permanent exhibition allows visitors to understand the interaction between man and nature on this plain grazed by sheep for millennia.
The major territorial issues in Crau are also addressed: sheep farming of the "Mérinos d'Arles", the production of Crau Hay PDO, the management of water resources, on which 270,000 inhabitants depend.
We also discover the richness of the natural heritage, the rare environments and the protected species which make the specificity of this unique territory in the world, as well as the challenges taken up by managers to conserve them.
The Crau is also presented through playful videos with, as a highlight, an animated film made by Eric Serre, 1st assistant director of "Kirikou" and "Azur and Asmar", which gives a dreamlike version of the formation of the Crau plain from the myth of Heracles.
Other animated films and interactive multimedia devices offer an unusual way to discover the challenges of this territory.

It is also an essential passage to reach the Crau. To access it, simply request an entry permit (€3), which will allow you to take the Peau de Meau interpretive trail, 4,7 km long and marked with 15 explanatory panels.

The Crau Ecomuseum also hosts temporary exhibitions and fun workshops related to the environment throughout the year.

Pets allowed : no

Audience : Group bookings

Comfort and amenities

Spoken languages)

• English
• French

Rates / opening