The "Contrat de Baie", a collaborative tool to manage environmental issues on the coastal areas from Antibes to Cap d'Ail

Sandrine Agnelli

Communauté d'Agglomération Nice-Côte d'Azur (FR)

The coastal areas, terrestrial as well as marine, located between the cities of Antibes and Cap d'Ail - i.e. Bay of the Angels, Villefranche harbour, Saint-Hospice gulf - are an exceptionnal natural and socio-economic heritage. This environment, under the pressure of various activities and uses, remains fragile to the impact of human origins.

Aware of this vulnerability and propelled by mutual concerns as regards environmental issues, ten coastal municipalities (Antibes, Villeneuve-Loubet, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Eze and Cap d'Ail) have decided to set up a mutal tool in order to manage their littoral : the "Contrat de Baie".

The "Contrat de Baie" is an operationnal tool dedicated to the sustainable management of both the coastal and marine environment and uses. It allows :
- the definition and the implementation of coherent actions aiming at maintaining or improving water quality
- the conservation and valorization of coastal ecosystems
- socio-economic development planning in compliance with environmental policies
- an integrated approach with all the stakeholders in charge of water and marine issues (local authorities, local representations of the State departements, water authority, associations, socio-professionnals, experts.