Basque Coast (V): Beaches of Lapurdi

1995/06/01 Estonba Mintxero, Mikel Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia
• Ekologia
• Hidrologia

Developments in dunes, car parks, sports docks, dune and cliff golf, salt marshes... are some of the attacks that are totally distorting the coast of Lapurdi. It can be said, without fear, that if measures are not taken within a few years, the ecological values of the North coast will be totally destroyed. But let's get to know the situation more closely.

Anglet

The coast of Anglet presents remarkable peculiarities, while the rest of the coast of Euskal Herria is cliff, that of Anglet, as succession of the Landes, is a sandy coast.

The ancient plans indicate that the old beach and dunes of Angelu stretched from the estuary of Atturri to the ancient cliffs of Biarritz and inland two or three kilometers.

However, this situation was very changing, since the wind caused the rest of this sandy coast to repeatedly close the mouth of Atturri, forcing the river to open new roads to go out to the sea. Witnesses of this phenomenon are the coastal lakes or the marshes near Orx, so abundant on the coast of the Landes.

But the current situation is very different. After the channeling of the mouth of the river Atturri, the constructions that have been made in the dunes have significantly reduced their width, while the development in the marine environment has covered most of the last vestiges of the dunes with golf, walk and parking.

However, it can be said without a doubt that the dune footprints that have been released from this massacre are the largest, structured and biodiesel of the Basque Country. But to this beautiful coast comes a dark future, since the City of Anglet wants to build a marina in the area of Chiberta and a spectacular urbanization. If the project prospered, in addition to destroying the dune remains, it would mean the disappearance of three coastal lakes of Euskal Herria.

The bad results of such experiences in other countries, such as Xokoburua, should show some to the political leaders, but unless so, the environmental groups will have to continue defending the last vestiges of our ecological heritage.

Biarritz

Internationally, from a tourist point of view, Biarritz is undoubtedly the most famous and prestigious municipality on the Basque coast.

Its beaches, hotels and casinos have until recently been the meeting point of the aristocracy, a place occupied by tourists.

At the base of the cliffs that were used to build this legendary village numerous small and charming beaches open to the sea (Miramar, Grand Plage, Puerto Viejo, Costa de los Vascos,...). Due to this location, these beaches have never been of great surface and therefore did not develop large dunes inland.

However, the houses and other buildings that have been built around the beaches and sometimes on the beaches, have dismantled the charm and naturalness of these corners.

Bidarte

On the coast of Bidarte there are two types of beaches:

• On the one hand, at the base of the imposing cliffs of Bidarte we find the beaches of Erdikoa, Asador and Pavillon Royal, open to the sea. Among them, undoubtedly, the last is the most important ecological. This beach, in addition to being located in an environment of great beauty, has in its center magnificent dunes that soften the slope of the cliffs. The area and plant diversity of the dunes make Pavillon Royal beach a privileged setting on the Basque coast. However, this has not prevented the retreat of the beach, has built the golf course and camping and much of the privately owned dunes depend on the huge coastal speculation.
• 

  Human influence in the Ilbarritz area has tugged to the end of the river and has built a golf course in the dunes.

  M. Estonba
  On the other hand, we have two beaches connected to different rias: It is located at the mouth of the river Ilbarritz, which flows between Biarritz and Bidarte, and the beach of the same name that the river Urhabia forms at the end of it.

The latter require a more comprehensive analysis, since they have suffered great ecological attacks in the name of tourism development. In the case of Ilbarritz, for example, in the estuary of this small stream, where formerly occupied the marshes and dunes, a golf course has been built that has been completely altered thanks to its tumult to the sea.

As for the nest, in addition to supporting the wild channeling of the rías mentioned in the articles of the marshes, the roads and parking spaces built in the back of the beach have limited the dunes to small mounds of few meters.

Is the development and conservation balance between ecological heritage impossible?

Getaria

It is not the beaches the most striking natural attractions of Getaria, but the spectacular cliffs, but as we will talk about them in another article, for now we will abandon it.

In Getaria we have three very small beaches and bowling and gravel. Zenitz beach is the largest and most beautiful of the three. The beach, belonging to Donibane Lohizune and Getaria, flows into the river Baldarreta without any channeling, along with the cliffs that surround the beach, forming an environment of great value.

The other two, the coast and the pier of Harotz, are small stone beaches, which are also flooded at high tide.

San Francisco

The cliff of Getaria enters the territories of San Juan de Luz to the south and at its base there are two other wonderful beaches such as Zenitz beach: Maiarkoenia and Akotz, both of great beauty but at the same time quite dangerous.

Further south, where the cliffs are revealed, is the beach of Romardie, which flows into the river Artxiloa. Until recently, on this beach you could see beautiful dunes and a small marsh, but the three illegally built campsites, in addition to destroying the ecological values of this place, have passed into private hands large legally public plantations, making it clear that the laws are not equal for everyone.

Finally, we find them in the bay of San Juan de Luz, known as Santa Barbara and Grand Plage. As in other coastal towns, San Juan de Luz is built on the marshes of the Urdazubi River and especially on the dunes of its beach, due to tourism, the great growth that the municipality has experienced in recent years, which has completely destroyed the last remnants of dunes.

Ziburu-Socoa

To the left of the bay of San Juan de Luz, on the other side of the river Urdazubi, is the village of Ziburu. In this village, and more specifically in the neighborhood of Socoa, we have a couple of small beaches. One, located at the mouth of the river Untxin, before the channeling of the river and the construction of the road, had small but interesting dunes, but today there is nothing left of that treasure.

The other, located under the fort of Socoa, is largely artificial, due to the construction of the left dock of the bay.

Hendaye

The long and wonderful beach of Ondarraitz, in Hendaia, is the witness of the sandy beaches and the sand bar of the old bay of Txingudi.

The channeling of the mouth of the river Bidasoa and the urbanizations that have risen above all on beaches and dunes have significantly altered the natural structure of this large beach and have destroyed large dune areas. However, at the left end of the beach, known as Xokoburu, there have been some remains of dunes, one of the most important in the Basque Country.

These dunes have suffered a harsh attack, in which the City of Hendaia, in the part that the French coastal law had declared as public property, has again clearly demonstrated the lack of environmental sensitivity of political leaders when it comes to illegally building the marina and the immense urbanization.