How underwater nets installed off Vias will help rebuild beaches and fight erosion

Depuis la plage on ne voit pas grand-chose du travail réalisé, mais les filets ont été disposés ce mardi matin devant Vias. DR – Midi Libre

The first nets of the S-able company have just been installed this Tuesday, July 2, in front of the seafront on the west coast in the town of Vias. It is the end of an Arlesian as this process was expected to retain the sand, rebuild the beaches that are disappearing and fight against erosion.

Finally, the closest west coast residents will no doubt say to Vias. Yes, finally, the nets from the S-able company were laid this Tuesday morning, July 2, at a depth of a few meters. The barge carrying 270 m of this device left Grau-d’Agde to distribute its precious cargo in front of the Dunes campsite and between Chemin de la Traîne and the Roucan beach campsite.

With this system, already tested in the Bay of Somme, elected officials and residents expect a lot in terms of beach reconstruction. And for once, it will not be tons of sand moved by the hand of man which will enrich the beach, but the sea which will work on the reconstruction. It should be remembered that the State, the Region, the Agglo Béziers Méditerranée have sunk millions of euros on the west side of Vias for the reconstruction of the dune cord which went back to the sea during the first storm a few months after the end of the first phase of work.

A company created by a former fisherman

The S-Able company was created by a former fisherman. And it is a new challenge that is being put in place in Vias to save the coastline from maritime erosion. The net system created by Dominique Michon is capable of trapping sand. It has already proven itself on the Côte d’Opale in the English Channel. In Vias, local authorities had been promising their installation for four years. It’s done.

Trap the sand

This net barrier traps sand in the bag and in the surf. It causes the bottom to rise and this allows solid matter to be blocked and reach the beach. When the expected level is there, it is even possible to move the barrier. Little by little, an underwater dune is created. It crawls towards the beach and prevents the sand from leaking out to sea.

Ultimately, 700 meters of nets will be placed on the west coast with the undisguised hope of seeing beaches worthy of the name rebuilt to welcome tourists. The idea of ​​placing this anti-erosion barrier in Vias was born in 2020. It took four years of bitter battles to see it happen.