“On a trail, walking 800 meters is not a punishment, but a pleasure.”
Sociologist Anne Vourc'h, who headed the Réseau des Grands Sites de France (Network of Major Sites in France), details the issues surrounding car congestion in landscaped areas.
Everywhere, the first step in preserving a natural site is to relocate the parking lot. Does the all-car approach have the same effects on natural sites as it does in cities?Yes, and the reactions of some local elected officials, worried or hostile, are comparable to what we sometimes hear in the city. In the 1990s, at Pointe du Raz (Finistère), when it was planned to move the parking lot back 800 meters, the elected officials said, "You want us dead." It was possible to offer shuttles, and that calmed things down. However, this service quickly became useless, because, on a path that offers viewpoints, walking 800 meters is not a punishment, but a pleasure. The redevelopment, which received widespread media attention, inspired the managers of the Grands Sites, who are now thirty years ahead of other destinations. They are already practicing "slow tourism."
You do understand that these policies are not always well received locally?You have 64.38% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
Le Monde
