Free night buses for coastal seasonal workers this summer

Cyrille Motthe, Nerlande, Stephan Rossignol, Frédéric Poisot et Jacques Mestre discutent du projet et des ajustements. Emma Stinellis – E.S.

For the coastal towns of Carnon, Palavas-les-Flots and La Grande-Motte, the Hérault prefecture has set up a free bus line to facilitate travel for seasonal workers to their homes in Lattes or Montpellier.

The presentation began around a table at the Catamaran café in La Grande-Motte. Alongside Stéphan Rossignol, mayor of La Grande-Motte, Frédéric Poisot, sub-prefect, Cyrille Mothe, manager of the establishment, and Nerlande, a seasonal employee at the café and a student at the Faculty of Science in Montpellier. Jacques Mestre, a restaurateur on the coast and president of the Union of Hotel Trades and Industries in Hérault also took part in the discussions.

A 60,000 euro project

“Occitanie is the 3rd region in France using seasonal employment, with nearly 500 people working in the Hérault region. We have increased the housing supply, but the question was how to come and work on the coast”, explains Frédéric Poisot. Since July 15, the bus line has been operating to allow seasonal workers to get home safely after work. Departing from La Grande-Motte, the bus serves the three university residences in Lattes and Montpellier, passing through Carnon and Palavas. A system supported by the prefecture at the request of restaurateurs who were struggling to recruit seasonal workers, particularly due to housing and transport constraints:“This system is good for the profession”, rejoices Jacques Mestre.

The first experiment

After the creation of more than 500 furnished accommodations in the city centre of Montpellier, a solution had to be found to link housing and mobility. “It completely changed my life. It's an effective and fair solution”, rejoices Nerlande. A feeling shared by his boss, Cyrille Mothe: “It's also reassuring”to know that they have a means of transport to get home safely at night. I didn't realize the sometimes dangerous journeys my teams were making, so when I heard about this system, I immediately told my seasonal workers about it.”

A first departure takes place at midnight and a second at two in the morning. For next summer, Jacques Mestre, Cyrille Motthe and Nerlande have announced some adjustments: changing the timetables and adding bus frequencies. The system is accessible seven days a week, free of charge, upon presentation of the seasonal pass, until September 15.