Two flippers, a mask, and a snorkel are enough to explore the marine flora and fauna at Thรฉoule sur Mer. An underwater trail consisting of four buoys runs across part of the seabed at the Thรฉoule sur Mer Departmental Natural Park. Aquatic life enthusiasts discover marine flora and fauna with the help of submersible informational boards. They swim from one buoy to the next, admiring numerous multicolored fish, sponges, and other mollusks. On Friday morning, Christian Estrosi came to visit this underwater trail.
“The coastline is not private property; on the contrary, it belongs to everyone. We need to equip and protect it to encourage its use by making our coastline a fun place.” Environmental protection is one of the challenges set by the President of the General Council of the Alpes Maritimes. “This trail is a wonderful dream. It reveals the richness and biodiversity of our seabeds.” This trail allows everyone to better understand the seabeds: 2,000 submersible environmental awareness boards are available at the rescue station. They can be borrowed in exchange for a deposit (ID card, 10 euros, etc.), which allows visitors to orient themselves and identify the marine species living around the trail.
Opinions are divided.
For some vacationers, this morning is an opportunity to explore the seabeds of the Natural Park. “I think it’s great. My two children have gone around the buoys. They have seen many fish, and especially a huge jellyfish.” Martine has been spending her holidays with her family on the Cรดte d’Azur for eight years, and this is their first time discovering the trail. For Marc, it’s different. For him, nothing changes. “It’s like it was before, just with four extra buoys.” He knows the seabed of the Natural Park well and doesn’t see the trail in a favorable light. “This is a very accessible spot. My kids often come to dive here. With this trail, I’m afraid more and more tourists will come. We will be much less at peace.” This initiative is part of the general council’s effort to preserve the biodiversity of marine environments. Christian Estrosi doesn’t intend to stop there. He hopes that several primary schools will take the opportunity to introduce their students to the seabeds in the upcoming school year.
