It is one of the natural jewels of Jura, which, however, is not lacking. Chalet Lake with its turquoise water and surrounding mountains is a delight for tourists, especially in summer. The site is so popular with visitors that it has recently been the subject of an unusual decision to ensure its protection. In a press release issued on September 30, the Jura Board of Trustees voted on its plan to end the slow agony of the lake, which is undergoing some troubling changes. A banner measure at the head of the gondola is the closure of the Domaine campsite and its 727 pitches.
“It is our duty to act and we must act now”Cleman Pernot, the chairman of the departmental council, said during this session. For the local authorities, the lake, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List due to the remains of a settlement on the trunks of several thousand years old, has faced the worrying phenomenon of eutrophication for several years. As the CNRS reminds, it is a form of pollution of certain aquatic ecosystems that occurs “an environment (that) receives too many nutrients assimilated by algae”causing them to proliferate.
“This is then characterized by an enrichment of nitrates and phosphates, causing ecological imbalances such as the proliferation of aquatic vegetation and depletion of ambient oxygen, with a significant risk of cyanobacterial contamination.”, said the community council at the end of its public session. Monitored since 2015, Lake Shalein has been the subject of several expert assessments over the years to understand the extent of the problem.
Disappearance of part of the lake beaches
Jura’s premier tourist destination, Chalen Lake, is rebuilt every year to welcome visitors. Since May, this large water point is artificially lowered from 488 meters to 486.2 meters to clean the beach surfaces. From now on, according to the decision of the Jura departmental council, the lake’s surface will be raised to 488 meters all year round, eliminating some natural attractions, including the beach in the city of Marini. “To give the lake every chance to regenerate (…), it must be restored to as natural a function as possible, ending the artificial tidal range that operates every summer.”, Clément Pernot justified. However, some places should be preserved, such as Les Lagons pool or Doucier beach. But the goal has already been stated. these various measures also aim to limit the effects of overtourism. The Domaine campsite alone recorded 200,000 overnight stays, mostly concentrated during the summer period.
Discontent
However, the county council’s decision is far from unanimous. The closure of the camp brings some frustrations into focus. Some tourists expressed their dissatisfaction. “We believe that the pollution of the lake is not due to tourists. It’s a combination of factors, and vacationers are a small part of it. There would be so much to do to improve the condition of the camp, the lake“, said a Dutch tourist, a regular customer of the camp, giving an interview to France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Some traders near the camp are already expecting a significant impact on their turnover.
The Jura Departmental Council’s choice to preserve the lake takes precedence over everything else. “The priority is not profitability, it is preservation of the lake.”said its president during the vote.
Source: Le Figaro
