The dune of Pilat has lost nearly four meters at the summit

The dune du Pilat shot to 102.5 metres in mid-may, when was carried out a series of annual surveys. That is, a loss of 3.9 meters as compared to 2019.

The dune du Pilat, the highest sand dune in Europe located at the entrance of the bassin d'arcachon, in Gironde, has lost nearly four meters in one year in its climax, indicated this Thursday, the Observatory of the Aquitaine Coast.

She shot to 102.5 m in mid-may, when was carried out a series of annual surveys, representing a loss of 3.9 meters as compared to 2019. It is the height measured to the lowest since 2009, the year of beginning of studies.

"This year, the succession of strong gales during the autumn and winter have contributed to lead to significant migration of the crest of the Dune to the east", that can reach up to 50 metres of distance, ensures that the OCA, which is responsible for the monitoring of coastal risks on 230 km of shoreline.

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These displacements, which are accompanied by the loss of altitude to be measured, are a-changing "remarkable" but "consistent with the general trend seen in the last few years, a spreading progressive of the dune to the forest".

economic consequences

"The crest of the dune retreats slowly but surely in the land, a part of the forest is buried very gently," explained to the AFP the co-chair of the OCA, Vital Baude, also a delegate to the coastline of the Region New-region of Aquitaine. "The campsites and the road 218 may be threatened and this may have economic consequences. It is therefore necessary to monitor."

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The dune, a natural site moving nearly 3 km long and 600 m wide, sees his measurements vary over the years: it was, for example, already experienced a loss of sand of 3.9 m at its highest point between 2017 (110,5 m) and 2018 (been 106.6 m).

The records of the OCA also show that "the erosion a chronic problem in the northern sector of the dune continues, with a retreat of the coastline a little more than 5 meters from 2019, is a metre higher than the average observed since 2009.

The coastline at the level of the central parts and south of the dune, however, remains "rather stable," according to the OCA, even with a breakthrough of the sand to the sea in some places.

Date Of Update: 18 July 2020, 14:58