In the vast salt marshes of the Camargue in southern France, where the Rhône River meets the Mediterranean Sea, a remarkable chapter of Greek migration history unfolded more than a century ago. Known locally as the “Salt People,” a community of Greek immigrants—many from the island of Kalymnos—built new lives in the industrial salt town of Salin-de-Giraud, transforming one of France’s harshest working environments into a home for generations.
Their story is one of hardship, resilience, and cultural survival, yet it remains largely unknown outside the region and the Greek diaspora.
From Kalymnos to the Salt Marshes of France
The arrival of Greek workers in the Camargue began during the First World War, when French industries faced labor shortages as many local workers were sent to fight at the front. Salt companies operating around Salin-de-Giraud began recruiting foreign laborers, including Greeks from the Dodecanese islands.
Many of these newcomers came from Kalymnos, an island with a long maritime tradition but which was suffering economic hardship in the early 20th century. The decline of the sponge-fishing industry, combined with poverty and limited opportunities, pushed many islanders to seek work abroad.
The destruction of Smyrna in 1922 and the wider upheaval in the eastern Mediterranean accelerated migration from Greece and Asia Minor. For many Kalymnians, the salt fields of southern France became an unexpected destination.
A Life Built Around Salt
Salin-de-Giraud was not simply a workplace; it was a company town created around industrial salt production. The companies operating the salt marshes provided housing, medical facilities, schools, and social structures for workers and their families.
The Greeks lived alongside other immigrant communities, including Italians, Armenians, and Spanish workers, creating a multicultural society shaped by migration and industrial labor.
But life in the salt marshes was extremely demanding. Workers spent long hours exposed to intense heat, wind, and salt-laden air while harvesting salt from vast artificial lagoons. The physical labor was exhausting and often dangerous, requiring strength, endurance, and knowledge of the unforgiving landscape.
For the Kalymnians, however, the community they built helped preserve their identity far from home. Greek language, traditions, religious celebrations, and family ties continued across generations.
A Forgotten Chapter of the Greek Diaspora
Unlike larger Greek immigrant communities in the United States, Australia, or Germany, the Greeks of the Camargue remained a smaller and more localized diaspora. Their history was preserved mainly through family memories, oral traditions, and local cultural initiatives.
French writer and researcher Annie Maïllis documented this overlooked migration story in her work Des Grecs en Camargue, un exil entre sel et mer (“Greeks in the Camargue, an Exile Between Salt and Sea”), bringing attention to the experiences of families who crossed the Mediterranean in search of survival.
The story has also been explored through documentaries and photography projects that record the memories of descendants of the original salt workers.
A Legacy That Endures
Today, Salin-de-Giraud remains closely connected to salt production, although industrial methods have changed significantly. The enormous salt flats of the Camargue are now also recognized for their environmental importance, attracting visitors interested in the region’s unique landscapes and wildlife.
Among the town’s residents are descendants of the Greek workers who arrived more than 100 years ago. While many have integrated fully into French society, memories of Kalymnos and the difficult journey of their ancestors remain part of the community’s identity.
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