Near Toulouse: hundreds of people defy the ban on swimming in a river
In recent weeks, the spot has become essential. Hundreds of inhabitants of Toulouse and its surroundings rush to the banks of the Ariège, in Clermont-le-fort, to cool off, despite the ban on swimming.
The twenty or so spaces in the André Baronchelli car park, a few steps from the banks of Aygues, on the banks of the Ariège, have already been occupied for more than an hour. Latecomers park in an anarchic way at the queuleuleu (see box). More than thirty cars constituting the long line parked at the edge of the road, chemin de Saint-Maurice, in Clermont-le-Fort. Motorists continue to flock, looking for a place to park. It is 2:30 p.m. this Sunday and the sun is beating down. The thermometer reads 33 degrees. To cool off, the place is well known to Toulouse residents. Every weekend, they are hundreds to bathe in the Ariège, defying the ban.
The Garonne-Ariège confluence is considered a protected area. In addition, it belongs to the regional nature reserve confluence Garonne-Ariège. Over the years, the municipality has tried to curb the phenomenon by multiplying the decrees. But nothing helps, it is not enough to curb the desire for swimming.
Thimoté and Mathieu, two friends from Toulouse, ensure that “the spot is way too cool”. “We discovered it two weeks ago. Without lying, I come here almost every day. The only problem is the place to park,” laughs Thimoté. For their part, Samantha* and Christophe*, who came with their children, made sure that they were not aware of the bathing ban. “We followed the recommendations of a friend. We discovered the ban when we arrived but we are still going to swim. And we will come back, it’s a great place, ”says the couple.
” You have to be careful “
From the path along the river, the sound of the river current can be heard. “Of course, swimming can become dangerous. Especially for families. You have to watch the children, but if you stay very careful, there shouldn’t be any accidents,” continues Mathieu.
Demonstrated agents from the management team of the Regional Nature Reserve Confluence Garonne-Ariège, the municipal police and gendarmes are on the territory and ensure the application of the rules. In the event of a violation, visitors are fined. “We have never seen anyone handing out fines…”, says Bertrand* who believes that the game is worth the effort: If I have to take a fine to take advantage of this frame, too bad. »
At the water’s edge, on the beaches, some are defying other prohibitions. Lighting a fire is subject to a fine. However, dozens of bathers light a barbecue.
The problem persists over the years. Above all, it is growing. The (numerous) means deployed to encourage bathers to desert the premises have a slight impact on the frequentation of the premises.
Lieutenant Élise Delavaud, commander of the community of brigades of Castanet-Tolosan affirms that the “interventions work”. The gendarmes have seen a few vehicles in recent days.
Asked, the town hall of the commune of 500 souls did not wish to respond, arguing that an official communication must take place on Thursday on the subject in the presence of the gendarmerie and the manager of the nature reserve.
Every weekend, a rain of fines
The gendarmerie is patrolling the area. Every weekend, the military patrols near the banks and verbalizes all vehicles parked on the side of the road. At the end of June, three gendarmes from the Castanet-Tolosan brigade, four agents from the French Office for Biodiversity, two from the RNR and the rural guard were deployed. All affirmed, patrolling on foot, they fined 18 times for prohibited parking. The gendarmes repeated this operation the last weekend and fined 115 times at 35 €. For swimmers, who do not respect the ban, in the Garonne-Ariège confluence regional nature reserve, swimming can be expensive. Élise Delavaud, commander of the community of brigades of Castanet-Tolosan, estimates that weekend the number of verbalizations for prohibited parking oscillates between a few tens to each more than a hundred.