5 good plans to celebrate science in the Gard

The Science Festival will take place from October 4 to 12, 2024. If this edition is titled “Ocean of knowledge”, it addresses the theme of water more generally. Between its Mediterranean coast, the Rhône and its forty rivers, the Gard is full of aquatic resources. Here is some ideas for outings highlighting these riches.

Meeting specimens from the Mediterranean at the Nîmes museum

The Natural Sciences Museum offers a cultural dive into its marine collections, with a focus on the fauna and flora of the Mediterranean Sea. Several activities are planned to complete the visit, such as a board game in the zoology gallery, where the participant can learn about the life cycle of a marine species. For the little ones, a drawing area is available, on the theme of marine reptiles.

A bike ride from one bank of the Rhône to the other

And if the Science Festival was the occasion for a sport and nature break over an entire weekend? A 110 km loop on the banks of the Rhône is planned. Cyclists will sleep at the Vallabrègues campsite. On this route via greenways and paths, numerous “discovery” breaks are planned, with the intervention of environmental actors. For example, at Aramon, an agent of ornithological center will take you on a tour of a stretch of this powerful river straddling the Gard and Bouches-du-Rhône.

“Lighthouse” events at Grau-du-Roi

At the crossroads between marsh and sea, Le Grau-du-Roi is the scene of maritime and aquatic issues. The science village, at the town hall on Saturday October 5 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.), offers a range of interactive activities on the theme of the water cycle, its uses and its eco-responsible management. To bring an artistic touch to the visit, a passage to the Espiguette lighthouse is required. In this square tower, 27 meters high, lighthouses created by local schoolchildren will be displayed. The educational project “Turn on the lighthouse” lives up to its name, because these carefully crafted works are all equipped with a luminous electrical circuit.

The pollution of our rivers, an issue in Saint-Sébastien-d’Aigrefeuille

Saint-Sébastien-d’Aigrefeuille participates in the Science Festival for the first time. It presents an ambitious program, with no less than 14 partners, and above all issues specific to the territory. Indeed, the landscape of Saint-Sébastien-d’Aigrefeuille is marked mining history, like other towns in the Cévennes. A past fraught with ecological consequences, particularly on the waters of the Roach. A set of stands will take over the communal hall, offering activities, meetings and conferences. For example, Hydro sciences Montpellier runs a youth workshop there to learn about methods of treating polluted water. “The idea is to say that thanks to science, we can reduce the effects of pollution,” explains Guy Manifacier, mayor of Saint-Sébastien.

Le Mahistre in Camargue, a hamlet of biodiversity between river and sea

The nature reserve of Mahistre et musette is a protected place located on both sides of the Rhône canal in Sète. This space made up of marshes, ponds and reed beds is a preferred nesting place for several species of birds. A guided tour along the canal is offered to discover the fauna and flora of this site in the heart of the Gard Camargue. This family walk lasts approximately 2 hours.