Transhumance

Transhumance is the seasonal movement of livestock between mountainous and lowland pastures. It usually occurs in the southern part of Europe (France, Italy, Romania, and Turkey). This practice is based on the difference of climate between the mountains (where the herds stay during the summer) and the lowlands (where they remain the winter).

The tradition of transhumance is thousands of years old, and it was an important practice during the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages. It diminished greatly beginning in the 19th century.