A look back at the annual mission to the Dune of Pilat
On Tuesday, May 20, three agents from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Coast Observatory had the chance to survey the Dune du Pilat for a field mission in an exceptional setting.
Every year, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Coastal Observatory carries out its coastal monitoring mission on the highest dune in Europe. During this day, the Observatory's agents survey this exceptional natural monument, 2.9 km long and 616 m wide, and thus cover the equivalent of 7 times the climb of the Dune in order to study its evolution over the years.
Since 2009, these measurements have been carried out every year to monitor the advance of the Dune du Pilat on the forest and the displacement of the coastline. The collection of this data makes it possible to respond to various issues related to dune advance. The Joint Syndicate of the Grande Dune du Pilat actively participates in monitoring: during each forecast bulletin "erosion monitoring of the Observatory's storm network", the Joint Syndicate is called upon as an "observer" for monitoring the erosion or accretion of the dune ridge on the Dune.
Highly mobile by nature, the dune evolves over the months and years, gaining or losing a few grains of sand depending on the year. In May 2024, the highest point of the Dune was measured at 101 meters above sea level, 2.6 meters less than the height recorded in 2023 at the same time.
See you after the summer to find out the height of the Dune and the evolution of the coastline, once the data has been processed and analyzed by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Coast Observatory...
For more precise information on the evolution of the Dune du Pilat, do not hesitate to consult the full article on the website of the New Aquitaine Coast Observatory.
