Le Figaro Bordeaux
Only fifty kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean, two pools of water generating artificial waves could soon emerge. This is the pharaonic project carried by four passionate surfers, including Édouard Algayon, Gironde musician past the television show "Star Academy". By relying on "state-of-the-art technology in the generation of artificial waves", while recovering wastewater and producing solar energy, this project would be unique in France. But criticism is already emerging.
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We've been working on the project for three years," says Édouard Algayon. "We have succeeded in meeting the challenge of combining this cutting-edge technology with current environmental issues. Without these solutions, we would not have been able to embark on this project." The Gironde artist says he is "very proud" to bring this initiative to the town of Canéjan (Gironde), south of Bordeaux, because according to him, the city "is perfectly located to shine", given that Nouvelle-Aquitaine is "the region where there are the most surfers in Europe".
Local associations are more skeptical. The Gironde branch of the Surfrider Foundation has already announced its willingness to initiate an administrative appeal against the building permit issued by the city of Canéjan. Rejecting the usefulness of these infrastructures, the organization for the protection of the ocean and the coast believes that "their construction implies the artificialization and waterproofing of the soil, contrary to the good ecological status of our nature", that "their operation involves a massive waste of water, contrary to the water sobriety expected of all", and "requires a significant amount of energy, contrary to the energy sobriety expected of all".
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"Incredible technology, but not at any price"
So many arguments rejected by Édouard Algayon. "It is an abandoned industrial wasteland that will be transformed into an academy of skiing," he says, with the objective of a "zero net artificialization", a concept aimed at slowing down the pace of urban sprawl. The artist's father bought this site, occupied by IBM and then by Solectron, and rented the buildings to several companies. The roofs of these premises, with an area of more than 20,000 m², should make it possible "to recover rainwater, which will be stored in underground tanks". Enough to constitute "reserves", in order to "readjust the water of the basins throughout the year", without having to draw on the drinking water network of the municipality. "In the event of a major drought, one of the two basins will be closed to supply the other," the contractor also predicts.
More than 10,000 m² of solar panels should also be installed on the roofs. "We will produce more energy than the project will consume," says Edouard Algayon. "If we had not had this land with these solutions available, I would not have been able to embark on this project, because it would not have been in line with my values." He believes that "this technology is amazing, but not at any price". The financing of the future "academy of skiing", entirely private, is estimated for the moment between 20 and 30 million euros. For the singer, "it's a project that makes sense" because it would allow people wishing to surf not to have to make the road to the ocean. The structure would also allow the French surfing federation, which supports this project, to train its athletes there.
The mayor of Canéjan, Bernard Garrigou, said he had "nothing in the permit that is likely to objectively refuse the project". For the elected socialist, this project will bring one more establishment on this municipality of about 6000 inhabitants, which currently has 200 companies. The area selected, 19,000 m² of basins on a plot of 3.6 hectares, would also be "incommensurate" with the contested project - and for the moment aborted - of artificial waves in Castets (Landes). The mayor finally recalls that Édouard Algayon "is committed to his own funds and has demonstrated to Canéjan his ability to reindustrialize the site". A wasteland that was also the scene in 2019 of a homicide by firearm in a Roma camp, evacuated since.
