aixcentric

Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), La Montagne Sainte-Victoire, 1897

‘Parking anarchique’ was the story last week as the popular rambling destination, the Sainte-Victoire, was hit by a perfect storm of school holidays, inability to travel far, and daily curfews.  And there’s always the impending threat of a new confinement to trigger the well-we’d-better-go-now-before-another-lockdown response.

According to La Provence, parking spaces were soon overwhelmed, with cars left at roadsides.  The road up to the Barrage de Bimont was closed in order to allow safe access for the specialised pompiers who carry out mountain rescue.  One family in Beaureceuil found 16 cars in their garden last Sunday – drivers had simply moved the chain.  The police were kept busy issuing PVs and removing cars which were blocking access roads.  ‘They would drive up to the cross if they could,’ spluttered one local mayor.

So?

Reconfigured car parks and navettes from Parking Malacrida are under discussion but so too is a ‘démarketing’ campaign.  Even last week, local and regional tourist groups were still sending out ideas for walking in the area (and Aixcentric posted a particularly interesting flyer, in all innocence).  The thinking is that they should stop promoting the Sainte-Victoire and the Calanques national parks, and come up with some new ideas for outings.  In the meantime, Goulard in the cours Mirabeau sells books of local hikes with maps, distances, degree of difficulty etc, or keep an eye out for issues of En Balade magazine, about 3€, published by La Provence.