The long-awaited renovation of the Croisette in Sainte-Maxime has begun. The first phase of the renovation work started on October 17, 2022 and will last a total of three years. Mayor Vincent Morisse is proud that his project has finally started. The work will be carried out in several phases, each time with a break between May and September, when the tourist crowds get going. The renovation is one of the municipality’s largest construction projects in years.
The first month will be spent preparing the first phase of the development, which is located between the parking lot of the Parc des Myrtes and the bend of the Grande Pointe, i.e. about 900 linear meters. The felling of four palm trees, the transplanting of eleven others, the dismantling of 47 lampposts, as well as that of the advertising street furniture and the demolition of the planters will be carried out during this work preparation.
Facelift for the Croisette boulevard Sainte Maxime, South of France
The replacement of six drinking water connections (AEP) and the wastewater network over almost 700 meters are also part of the work that will be carried out this month. Another consequence of the renovation is that all parking spaces on the coast will be removed. However, daytime traffic should not be affected during this preparation phase. The works will start on October 17 and must contractually end on April 30. It will also depend a lot on the weather. It may remain messy until part of the month of May.
New boardwalk
In addition to the beautification of the boulevard Sainte Maxime for the eastern entrance to the city, the renovation will also allow the users to take possession of the promenade. Pedestrians and cyclists are separated by a strip of vegetation, users are then shielded from vehicles by a low wall. The placement of semi-buried containers is also on the agenda. The opportunity is taken to create a second entrance to the Parc des Myrtes, at the level of the roundabout.
The boulevard Sainte Maxime development will take place in two phases. The second part covers the sector from the Parc des Myrtes to the Boulevard du Soleil. These works are scheduled for October 2024. In the meantime, the municipality will actively take care of the maritime part, with the construction of underwater dikes in geotextiles, saving the strip of beach. If no underwater dikes are built, the beloved beach will disappear. This work will be carried out from October 2023. The costs of the groundwork are estimated at more than 4 million euros, grant applications are in progress.
Plant new trees, move parking spaces to the other side of the road and, above all, build a real bicycle path. The new Croisette will look fantastic in three years’ time. “It will be fun for us, but we will have to be patient”, tells a resident. The construction work is on the main road of the Gulf of St-Tropez. The City Hall is therefore trying to limit the consequences.
Erosion
This major coastal facelift represents only half the work. The other major project will be at sea, to try to stop the phenomenon of coastal erosion. “We see that the beach is being eaten, it is slowly disappearing. A few years ago we had about 20 meters of beach, now it has been reduced to 10 meters,” says Greg Tony, owner of a snack at the Croisette. The plan is to install underwater dikes.
These breakwaters will be located about a hundred meters from the coast. They break the swell on the day of heavy seas and limit the disappearance of the sand. The challenge for Sainte Maxime is to delay the disappearance of the beaches for as long as possible. They are colossal works, and spectacular in execution. Holidaymakers to Sainte Maxime, Grimaud or Saint Tropez will not be affected by the work between May and September.
//
