Toro Piscine Vias

If you've never seen a Toro Piscine, then you need to book a flight to the South of France right now and go and watch one! Bulls are a vital component of southern French culture, but this is not limited to what we commonly refer to as 'bullfighting'. Games, sports and tests of skill that are centred around the bull and its famous bad temper are numerous, and vary widely in their entertainment value. Apart from bull-fighting, which is still a sport practised and enjoyed by aficionados, there are other options. For example, there are bull training shows, where bull fighters train the bull by trying to detach cords, or possibly flower garlands, from the bull's horns. Each one they detach is worth a prize! It's very entertaining and you end up rooting for the bull!

 

Another option is a much more family-friendly version, called Toro Piscine. This involves taking a baby bull and playing with him! Spectators over the age of 18 are allowed to go into the ring and play a series of games with the bull, such as football, or trying to lead the bull into the water (there is a small paddling pool in the centre of the ring, hence the "piscine" part). It's all extremely entertaining and the bull isn't harmed. Purists and animal lovers might still not appreciate this sport but no one gets hurt - well, certainly not the bull anyway - and it really is very amusing.