Wow – what a lot of sand!

 

I must admit to cheating a little with this blog post, as most of it first saw the “light of day” in a magazine I edit for the Association of Countryside Volunteers, of which I am currently the chairman, under the title of View Across La Manche, a regular feature I write about various countryside issues on the French side of La Manche.  I guess for obvious reasons the French don’t call the narrow stretch of water between them and England the English Channel, instead referring to it, for again obvious reasons, as La Manche or The Sleeve.

 

Back around Easter time, we visited Bordeaux and courtesy of my daughter Victoria climbed the highest sand dune in Europe, not once but twice and this after the last time I walked just a little way on a sandy beach left me, for some time, in a lot of pain, something having complained in my left knee!!

 

But, the Great Dune de Pilat or Pyla, was worth every step, even though when we started off the easy way; a plastic staircase up the side was closed for maintenance, so it was soft sand all the way up, down the far side to dip a toe in the adjacent Atlantic Ocean and back up over the top.  Incidentally, the correct name is apparently Pilat, which comes from the Gascon word for heap or mound, and which ever meaning you opt for it’s something of an underestimate.

 

 

Now, the dune in question totally exceeded my expectations and was quite simply mind blowing.  You approach it through pine woodland, from a well kept albeit rather complicated parking area, passing through the ubiquitous gift shops and restaurants offering such things as dune burgers, reminiscent of childhood picnics on the beach, when however careful you were sand always got in the sandwiches and inside your swimming trunks!!  The tat over and you get your first glimpse through the trees of the splendour you are about to encounter, a steep bank of sand rising at the back some 50 metres above you, falling away the other side slightly less steeply in excess of 105 metres down to the blue Atlantic Ocean, with a number of interesting sand bars and spits spreading across the entrance to Arcachon Bay, near the small town of La Teste de Buch, in the Gironde department of South west France 40 miles from Bordeaux.  

 

 

This massive 100m plus dune is 2.7 km long and 500 m wide and these breathtaking dimensions can be admired throughout the year. Even in winter it is worth the visit, when if you are really lucky you might experience the dune covered with snow.

 

The dune is always in motion, created by wind and tidal movement, which combine to make the dune move further inland by several metres each year. The moving sand therefore has gradually swallowed the surrounding pine forest and several campsites as the overwhelming mass of 60,000,000 cubic metres of sand continues to move.

The dune is currently being considered as one of Grand Sites of France.

 

Currently there are about 14 sites (sites can come and go dependant on the strict criteria) that have been confirmed with this label, such as the Baie de Somme, the Marais Poitevin marshes near to us, Pont to Gard and the Puy de Dôme.

 

Something like a further 31 sites are currently under consideration, ranging from the Dune de Pilat to the Abbaye de Beauport, Cité de Carcassonne, Baie du Mont-Sait-Michel, Gorges du Verdon, Mont Ventoux and many many more.

 

Chaque site membre adhérent du Réseau des Grands Sites de France travaille à améliorer les conditions de protection, de réhabilitation et de gestion active du paysage, à mieux accueillir ses visiteurs, à générer un développement local durable et bénéficiant aux habitants, afin de pouvoir prétendre, dans un délai précis, à l'obtention du label Grand Site dEach of the Great Sites of France are working to improve conditions for the protection, rehabilitation and active management of the landscape, to better accommodate visitors, generate sustainable local development and benefit the people.

 

Having obtained the label, qualification is for a specified period, after which the site is reassessed.

 

Ce label appartient à l'État, qui l'a déposé à l'Institut national de la propriété industrielle en 2003. Il est géré par le Ministère en charge de l'ÉcologieThis label belongs to the state, and is awarded by the National Institute of Industrial Property in 2003. It is managed by the Ministry in charge of Ecology. Il est inscrit au code de l'environnement Art.

 

"Le label Grand site de France peut être attribué par le ministre chargé des sites à un site classé de grande notoriété et de forte fréquentation. L'attribution du label est subordonnée à la mise en oeuvre d'un projet de préservation, de gestion et de mise en valeur du site, répondant aux principes du développement durable. "The label Grand Site de France may be assigned by the Minister to a site listed as high profile and high visitor numbers. Award of the label is subject to the implementation of a project for the preservation, management and enhancement of the site, complying with the principles of sustainable development.

Ce label est attribué, à sa demande, à une collectivité territoriale, un établissement public, un syndicat mixte ou un organisme de gestion regroupant notamment les collectivités territoriales conc

 

This label is granted, upon request, to a local authority, a public institution, a mixed union or management body consisting in particular local authorities concerned. La décision d'attribution fixe la durée du label." The award decision sets the length of the label."  Sorry if some of this is lost in the translation.

 

Ce label est un label sélectif et exigeant.Il est la reconnaissance d'une gestion conforme aux principes du développement durable, conciliant préservation du paysage et de "l'esprit des lieux", qualité de l'accueil du public, participation des habitants et des partenaires à la vie du Grand Site.

 

It is the recognition of management that conforms to the principles of sustainable development, balancing preservation of the landscape and "sense of place" quality of care, public participation of residents and partners in the life of Grand Site.  

Il peut être retiré à tout moment en cas de manquement aux engagements de protection, de mise en valeur, de développement économique local et de respect du

 

It can be removed at any time in the event of breach of commitments for the protection, development, local economic development and respect for the visitor.

Le Réseau des Grands Sites de France rassemble des Grands Sites qui ont déjà obtenu le label et d'autres qui oeuvrent pour l'obtenir un jour.

 

Further information can be obtained from the Grand Site de France website:

www.grandsitedefrance.com

 

or there is a Wikipedia site which can easily be translated from French into English, for the less adventurous of you!!