Future walking path around the Thau basin: at the heart of the reflection walk with the SMBT and the population

Le groupe à l’arrêt après une pause informative. MIDI LIBRE – Kelman Marti

Environ 40 personnes ont pris part, ce samedi 6 avril au matin, à cette balade de 6 km pour évoquer le futur tracé du “Sentier du littoral”.

Having a “Coastal Path”, of approximately 70 km around the pond by 2026, this is one of the objectives in course of the Thau Basin Mixed Union (SMBT). In this sense, he organized, this Saturday morning, with the Merversible association, the ’Zero Expedition – Thau” lagoon. "We're going to walk about 6 km all together. Along the route, we will stop to discuss different points and issues of the trail", announces Alexandre Pennaneac’h, head of mission at SMBT, at the stroke of 10& ;nbsp;h, to the forty people present at the start at the Domaine de la Bellonette in Marseillan.

An important biodiversity to protect

After 30 minutes of dancing to warm up the project participants, head towards the Marseillan marina. At the heart of the peloton, we find Alexandre Pennaneac’h. "There is currently a divide around this future path. Residents, shellfish farmers, hunters… are against. Others are for it. The idea is to bring everyone together to see the questions, fears and proposals that can be formulated, and thus have them in mind when drawing the route. ;, specifies the project leader.

The meters, then the hectometers, follow quickly on an already existing path. Time to make a first stop in the middle of the Sansouïres. "We are in the Natura 2000 area. Here, it is important to preserve biodiversity. For example, when we arrived, white stilts made noise. This means that you have to be discreet so as not to disturb them, explains Camille Pfleger, Natura 2000 project manager, to the hikers of the day.

Among them, Jean-Pierre Pautot, retired living in Marseillan, has a good understanding of the environmental issues in the sector: "We can clearly see that nature is fragile. People do not respect it and pollute. In my opinion, communicating, as is the case this Saturday, is important to preserve nature in the future." "To achieve this, we could do nudging (a concept which aims to encourage in a positive way rather than restricting by laws, Editor's note) and set up silent zones or without walking sticks using pictograms", estimates Camille Pfleger.

"Mixing uses"

In addition to the environmental aspect, "the future trail must be useful for all users and be able to mix uses in certain places", adds David Cottalorda, SMBT town planner in charge of the technical part of the project, from the Marseillan farmhouses. At one of them, La Passerelle, Annie Cazaux changed her mind about creating the path and is now in favor of it.

"Some of my colleagues are against it, because the arrival of tourists will disturb them in their practice and I understand them. But it’s good to share the beauty of our landscape. From an economic point of view, it will also bring us people for the tastings", analyzes the shellfish farmer.

Following this new break, the group resumes their walk and takes a cycle path. "S’there is a road like this on the route, perhaps Can we redevelop it, to mix uses without creating conflicts, in order to avoid building a new path next to it? It will cost less and less damage to the environment", imagines David Cottalorda, as the ride ends at the Marseillan marina with a tasting, then a phase debate concerning the ideas received, or not, around the project.

A long-term evolutionary path

After this Saturday's march, two other similar meetings are scheduled for Saturdays, May 4 (Mèze sector) and 8&nbsp ;June (Sète sector). The hiking trail around the Thau lagoon will deploy at the beginning of the day. from 2026 – for the first developments –, but its final realization will spread over several years. "There will be a first version à short term, then medium and long term versions where ù the plot&eac; will get better and better and become ideal. They will be decided with feedback from users, announces David Cottalorda.