Beaches and train station in Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone: ​​how the Montpellier Metropolis takes care of its coastline

Véronique Négret, maire de Villeneuve et vice-présidente de la Métropole : “Nous avons une “délibération cadre” sur notre plage : elle est désormais formellement à préserver, inclusive et sportive.” PCa

Véronique Négret, mayor of Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone and vice-president of the Metropolis, discusses the community council of February 13. Major advice for the Villeneuvois… but not only.

The metropolitan council of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole arbitrated, during its session on February 13, several important decisions for the 31 municipalities it brings together. Including "historical deliberations for Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone", underlines Véronique Négret, mayor since 2020 of this municipality of 10,500 inhabitants and vice-president of the Métropole, delegated to the coast, to the prevention of major risks and to Gemapi (management of aquatic environments and flood prevention).

The formula for "historical deliberations" is also from Serge Desseigne, municipal and also community councilor, expert on these delicate issues linked to the preservation of the coastline, argued alongside the mayor during this session.

Le Prévôt and Le Pilou, the only beaches in the Metropolis

Three of these deliberations concern the beaches of Prévot and Pilou, while another, no less important, pushes Pem – understand "Multimodal exchange hub" – around the small Villeneuve station.

"It’is the first time in the history of the Metropolis that the assembly has taken an attentive look at this stretch of coastline, continues Véronique Négret. Nothing had been done until then", while, on the 12 km of coastline which fall under the jurisdiction of Villeneuve, the beaches of Prévôt and du Pilou, or 3,170 m in total, constitute the only seaside area of ​​Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole.

"We were in an "unthought-out coastline", argues with conviction Serge Desseigne, since the Metropolis took over beach jurisdiction over the Maritime Public Domain, in 2015."

"Until then, takes over the first chosen one, things were done by tinkering, with temporary conventions. There we have a "framework deliberation" on our beach: it is now formally to be preserved, inclusive and sporty."

Le Prévôt and Le Pilou, a total of 3,170 m of beach, constitute the only coastal area in the Metropolis. Free Midi – GIACOMO ITALIANO

"Where kitesurfing was invented"

Preservation will involve the "renaturation" of sites, particularly tarmaced areas.

The inclusive component, beyond the Esat des Compagnons de Maguelone and developed PMR access, means "at the local level, insists Véronique Négret, with in particular the Villeneuvoise association Plage Mag and its 1,400 members, but also metropolitan, with several Montpellier associations."

The elected representative finally recalls, on the sporting aspect, that "this section remains "the" beach where kitesurfing was invented! And where an international competition takes place."

Serge Desseigne continues: "With these deliberations, a generic desire is affirmed: to resume the legal framework for the use of these spaces, with free and total access to all audiences, by limiting private beaches. We finally have a "coastal thought"."

In concrete terms, only two of the four commercial beach concessions will be maintained until 2028, the two from the Prévôt: Carré Mer and Jet 7.

The Pem project, "Multimodal exchange hub"

Another historic deliberation of the metropolitan council: the launch of the study concerning the development of a ’multimodal exchange hub" (Pem) in Villeneuve.

The context: a town which borders Montpellier and whose small station, 7 minutes from platform to platform from its big sister Saint-Roch, is saturated by the 22 stops per day of the line Marseille – Toulouse, blocking TER services on the Avignon – Narbonne axis…

"By 2034, with the LGV connection, explains Véronique Négret, and the deportation of TGV and rail freight, this route will be freed. A first study, costing €80,000, launched in October 2023, described the creation of a footbridge avoiding having to step over the rails to cross the tracks of our station… But there, the deliberation of February 13 validates a much broader study, specifies the elected official, with a budget of 100,000 &euro ;, involving the State, the SNCF, the Region and the municipality, on an overall project, integrating rail flows but also access to the station site. This is a truly attractive project!"

A meeting for newcomers

This Wednesday, March 13, more than 250 people are expected for the traditional welcoming ceremony for the new Villeneuvois, at the Bérenger-de-Frédol cultural center, &agrav; 6:30 p.m. This meeting organized each year by the municipality is open (on registration) to residents living in the commune since March 2023.

"Alreadyà last year, reporting to Véronique Négret, we noticedé an evolution of the profile of the new Villeneuvois. There are always executives and young retirees but also more and more young couples with children! Several work or come from Montpellier."

Everyone will have the opportunity to collect, in addition to a welcome gift, valuable information on the life of the commune.

Registration on the town hall website www.villeneuvelesmaguelone.fr or on 07 76 60 95 46.

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