The bay of the Somme : Marquenterre

Like an initiation ceremony, this book provides the key to two sites which are internationally reknown for the quality of their natural environment : the bay of the Somme and the Marquenterre. Rendez-vous with the wind, light, birds, but also with an old aristocrat, cockle gatherer and the creator of the bird reserve.

Jacques Béal lives in the bay of the Somme and is a journalist with the `Courrier picard'. He is also the author of several books including `Anthologie des poètes de la Grande Guerre' published by Cherche-Midi.

At the beginning of the seventies, there was a public outcry following the anarchical urbanisation of the French coast. Housing estates, marinas, villas and beach huts flourished along the coastline.

In response to a request from the Government, the regional planning authority (DATAR) proposed the creation of an organisation responsible for acquiring the most fragile and most threatened open spaces on the coast on behalf of the nation as a whole.

The Conservatoire of Coastal Areas and Lake Shores (Conservatoire de l'espace littoral et des rivages lacustres) was created on 10 July 1975, inspired by the National Trust.

By the eve of the year 2000, the Conservatoire had acquired nearly 60,000 hectares along the shorelines, thus ensuring the protection of more than 10 % of the coastline. Since the Conservatoire's land is inalienable, it will be passed on intact to future generations. All the Conservatoire's sites are open to the public. It is for you to discover them and wonder at the constantly changing scene between land and sea.