Tourism that respects the environment and people
The Blue Flag is a label of sustainable tourism which rewards each year the municipalities and marinas that implement a policy of tourism development that respects the environment and human beings. Beaches and harbours have to meet a number of criteria, which are then studied by a jury, including the general environment (safe, ethical and sustainable), responsible water management, waste management, environmental management and environmental education and awareness.
An award for biodiversity
Created in 1958, this label celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2020, and for this anniversary edition, a new criterion appears, the Thomas Joly Prize for Biodiversity.
This prize aims to reward the best initiatives of Blue Flag laureates for the respect and protection of biodiversity and will be awarded on 1 January 2010 er july. This prize is part of the Sustainable Development Objective (SDO) in which the Blue Flag is actively involved. The aim is to set up 17 sustainable development objectives to transform the world. For example, SDOs 6 and 14 are dedicated to "Clean Water and Sanitation" and "Aquatic Life", SDO 13 consists of implementing "Measures to combat climate change" and SDO 15 aims to preserve "Life on Earth".
The 2020 Winners
By 2019, 395 beaches in 188 municipalities and 107 marinas had been awarded the famous Blue Flag. In 2020, the figures are stabilising or even slightly increasing. More than 95% of the municipalities and marinas awarded the Blue Flag last year have renewed their commitment with the Blue Flag. Here are the figures of this new edition for France :
- 401 ranges labelled in 188 labelled communes.
By surpassing the 400 label holders, the Blue Flag does better than the year dernière?!
- 106 ports of pleasure craft labeled
This year, 5 new marinas have been added to the list: in Corsica, Normandy, Provence-Alpes-Côte-D'Azur and Île-de-France. 73% of the ports are maritime, 22% are river ports and 5% are lake ports.
- 17 new label holders (5 ports and 12 municipalities)
- France is the 4th country in terms of the number of labeled products.
Blue Flag in the world
- 46 member countries
- 3?895 beaches
- 691 marinas
- 82 eco-tourism boats
Examples of good practice
To limit waste and plastic pollution, several municipalities have set up initiatives, such as in Cayeux-sur-Mer (Hauts-de-France), where the tidal stockings are made of recycled mussel shells. In Bréhal, in the Manche and in Saint-Georges - d'Oléron, in Charente Maritime, beaches are cleaned with donkeys.
To preserve biodiversity, in the commune of Seignosse in the Landes, Christmas trees are recovered to mulch the dunes in winter and fight against erosion. In Agde, in the Hérault region of France, 32 artificial reefs of 1.4 tons each, designed in a special concrete with a neutral PH, have been printed in 3D and ballasted 300 m from the shore to serve as a fish nursery.
