What could be better than the Ile de Ré to discover the natural spaces for which France is famous abroad? Go on holiday on the island and relax among the pine trees or on the sandy beaches. Walk along the path in the middle of the dune to get to the beach and stop for a moment to admire the scenery.
The landscapes of Ile de Ré are characterised by the dunes that rise up between the villages and the sea. However, they are endangered every day due to bad weather and careless tourists.
What is a dune?
Dunes are geological formations that have existed for about 3000 years for those in France. They were formed on the lower coasts thanks to sediments brought by coastal transit and the wind blowing on the coast.
Dunes are made up of several parts: the beach, the foredune, the mobile dune, the fixed dune (or back dune) and the wooded dune. Today, the dunes stretch over 19km, or 235 hectares, on the Ile de Ré.
The dunes provide the island with natural protection against marine flooding, as they act as natural dikes.
The biodiversity of the dune
The dune represents a repellent environment for most plant species but attracts psammophilic and halophilic varieties (which appreciate sand and salt respectively). Oyats are among these plants: they draw water from deep down, resist the wind and help to fix the sand of the dune.
Oyats are largely protected because they contribute to the protection of the dune.
A dune in danger
Unfortunately, for several years now, the dune has been facing several difficulties. Firstly, the storm Xynthia in September 2010 weakened it and in the summer, the dune is prone to drying up. All this leads to landslides that are difficult to control. In addition, many careless tourists damage the dune by trampling it or letting their children play in the protected areas.
The authorities are aware of the danger facing the dunes: 5 million euros have been invested to protect the site. Oyats have been planted on the dune by children from surrounding schools, in partnership with the NFB. In addition, a collection of Christmas trees was organised to protect the dune
What can you do?
It is difficult to launch actions on an individual scale, but it is always possible to support the actions of the municipalities and the various associations working for the protection of the dune.
Be respectful of the environment during your holidays: only walk where a path is marked out and forbid your children to play on the dune to avoid damaging the flora.
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