Fédération française de la course camarguaise

The Fédération française de la course camarguaise (FFCC) is the national governing body for course camarguaise, a traditional sporting and cultural discipline rooted in the Camargue, Provence and Languedoc regions of southern France. Founded in 1975, the FFCC is a French association under the law of 1901 and has been officially recognised by the French Ministry of Youth, Sports and Associative Life since December 2004. Its mission is to unite and federate the actors of course camarguaise, issue licences, manage the race calendar, supervise competitions, provide sports training for young people, and carry out information activities in schools. The federation has around 2,500 licence holders, with 19 raseteur schools, drawn mainly from five departments: Aude, Bouches-du-Rhône, Gard, Hérault and Vaucluse. It is currently presided over by Éric Mauras, who succeeded Nicolas Triol on 27 January 2025; Triol became the first honorary president. The FFCC organises the Championnat de France des manades and is present at major events such as the Salon de l'Agriculture, the Salon du Toro in Arles, and the Festival de la Camargue et du Delta du Rhône. The federation promotes values of respect, preservation of the Camargue bull and protection of its environment, presenting course camarguaise as 'much more than a sport' — a true art of living.

The history of the Fédération française de la course camarguaise (FFCC) is intertwined with the development of course camarguaise, a traditional bull sport of the Camargue, Provence and Languedoc. Key dates trace its organisational roots: on 5–6 March 1910, the Fédération des Sociétés taurines de France et d'Algérie was created in Montpellier. On 6 March 1921, a regulation for 'courses libres' was adopted in Nîmes. In 1937, the Amicale des raseteurs, a mutual aid society, was founded. The 1957 congress of Sommières elected Maître Fontaine as president of the course libre section. In 1963, at the Salin-de-Giraud congress, Maître Louis Lacroix became president of the course à la cocarde section and Jérôme Vigne secretary. The 1964 Nîmes congress created the Association fédérale des clubs taurins de Provence et du Languedoc, which adopted the Vignon project, granting financial autonomy to the course à la cocarde section. Finally, in 1975, at the Mouriès congress, the Fédération Française de la Course Camarguaise (FFCC) was founded and officially recognised; course camarguaise was recognised as a sport by the Secrétariat d'État à la jeunesse et aux sports. In 1995, affiliated taurine schools were developed. The FFCC has been officially approved by the French Ministry of Youth, Sports and Associative Life since December 2004. In 2021, academic Régis Keerle noted organisational challenges that hinder the improvement of spectacle quality in arenas. Leadership has evolved: Nicolas Triol served as president from 12 March 2020 to 10 January 2025, becoming the first honorary president on 27 January 2025; Éric Mauras then served from 10 January 2025 to 27 May 2026. Technical directors include Gérard Barbeyrac (until 2016), Cyril Garcia (2017–2024) and Gérald Radosavljevic (since 2025).

• Creation of the Fédération des Sociétés taurines de France et d'Algérie in Montpellier.

• Adoption of a regulation for courses libres in Nîmes.

• Creation of the Amicale des raseteurs, a mutual aid society.

• Congress of Sommières: Maître Fontaine elected president of the course libre section.

• Congress of Salin-de-Giraud: Maître Louis Lacroix becomes president of the course à la cocarde section.

• Congress of Nîmes: creation of the Association fédérale des clubs taurins de Provence et du Languedoc.

• Congress of Mouriès: founding of the Fédération Française de la Course Camarguaise (FFCC).

• Development of affiliated taurine schools.

• FFCC approved by the French Ministry of Youth, Sports and Associative Life.

• Nicolas Triol becomes president.

• Éric Mauras becomes president; Nicolas Triol becomes honorary president.

National governing body for course camarguaise, promoting tradition, respect and environmental preservation.

• Championnat de France des manades

  National championship for manades (bull herds).

• Course calendar

  Annual calendar of course camarguaise events.

• Youth training schools

  19 raseteur schools for young people.

1. 1FFCC official websiteffcc.info
2. 2Wikidata entrywikidata.org
3. 3Wikipedia (French)fr.wikipedia.org