Calanques de Marseille by reservation: are tourists satisfied?

Nina Pavan 4:28 p.m., August 18, 2022

REPORTAGE

In the Bouches-du-Rhône, the Calanques National Park is experimenting with limited access to the most fragile creeks, to slow down the erosion linked to overtourism.

Access is limited to 400 people per day.

Quotas have therefore been in place since the start of the season.

What do tourists think?

Europe 1 went to ask them the question.

"If it's to protect nature, it's a good thing"

At the beginning of the path to get to the creeks, a sign with the slogan "Preserve, it's reserve".

Coren and his partner are Americans.

They didn't know.

"If it's to protect nature, it's a good thing. But we have to give more information so that we are aware", they assure the microphone of Europe 1.

And for those who have thought about booking, the experience once on the beach is totally convincing, according to Cédric.

"In previous years, it was horrible, there were a lot of people. There, we went there at 9:30 a.m. and there was no one. It's as if we were in Thailand", enthuses- he.

The results are rather positive, according to Didier Réault, president of the Calanques national park.

And the limitation of places could be extended to Marseille.

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A positive result so far

"There is an acceptance beyond our expectations", he confides on Europe 1. "We will take stock of the experiment in the fall and if other experiments such as this should be put in place, of course, we can do it".

Several creeks would already be candidates for a limitation of access from next year, according to Didier Réault.