Jasmine, A Love Story
Delicate and precious, white in summer, yellow in winter, with a star or...
Nature
The practice of land sailing is no longer confined to the beaches of Northern France. In the dream environment of the Camargue, a wind and water sports enthusiast offers lessons and excursions.
Text and Photos Jean-Dominique Dalloz - February 6, 2012
The four-wheel drive pick-up truck leaves from Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and progresses slowly across the sand. In the back seat, three children ride alongside their father. In the front, their mother chats with Marc Gérard, the expedition leader. Five funny-looking vehicles, aligned like giant, sleeping insects, are in tow on the trailer behind. The radiant sun on this December day gives the foam on the waves an iridescent quality. The mistral and tramontane winds are working their
magic, creating large, crested waves in the sea. The Land Rover stops at the edge of an expansive beach. Marc invites everyone to step out of the car. The kids jump down into the sand and join their parents. “Before I prepare the materials, I’m going to give you a few pointers and rules to follow,” their guide explains. In a few minutes, the little troop is set free. Marc Gérard hauls the engines off the trailer one by one, assembles the masts and stretches out the sails…
For several years now, the young man has been offering beginner’s lessons and excursions in land sailing in the Camargue. This wind and water sports enthusiast has been living in the region for thirty years and knows it like the back of his hand. Summer and winter, he can be found in the water or on the beach. “Windsurfing, long boarding, kite surfing, stand up paddling… I love it all,” says Marc. “But what I love most of all is to share these passions and give people the opportunity to discover this exceptional environment.”
Indeed, the place is breathtakingly beautiful. To the left, a line of wind-swept dunes, together with the sea and a lake, delineates the little group’s vast playing field. They each settle into their own narrow plastic cockpit and familiarize themselves with the vehicle. A device for tightening or slackening the sail and to increase or decrease its speed, a foot-controlled directional mechanism and… that’s all! On its first run, the vehicle gathers speed, does a first length and attempts a half-turn… and then comes to a stop. “You didn’t get up enough speed,” calls Marc Gérard. “Try again!”
Discover
With each pass, the young man gives one or two tips, and the pilots gradually begin to master their vessels. Today, the wind is tumultuous. On more than one occasion, the drivers are surprised by gusts of wind so strong that they lift one of the back wheels as the vehicle tacks at high speed. But two or three minor capsizings don’t hamper the enthusiasm of these novice wind-tamers. The simple maneuvering along with the propelling force of the wind gives the group of beginners the immediate pleasure of quick progress.
All too soon, it’s time to leave. Everyone is beaming. A tasty snack in the back seat of the truck on the ride home makes the children forget about the sand in their eyes. They’re only thinking about one thing: coming back soon and making it all the way to Beauduc on their next excursion.
