“No question of building 4 meter walls”. Faced with rising seas, this town is seeking sustainable and reasonable solutions

Faced with erosion and rising water levels, the Breton coast faces a silent threat. In Plounéour-Brignogan-Plages in Finistère, a town particularly exposed to submersion, we are considering suitable strategies to protect a vulnerable coastline, without necessarily building walls. [Première publication le 31/10/24]

One year after the storm Ciaronn hit the Breton coast hard, Plounéour-Brignogan in Finistère must face another threat: the inexorable rise in sea levels. Here, no imposing dikes or massive concreting, but a more subtle and realistic approach. Sandrine Abgrall, deputy mayor of this small town, and Alain Hénaff, geologist, explain their strategy to protect a coastline that is crumbling under the pressure of the elements.

We met them in October 2024 during the filming of an issue of the show “Regional Survey, the Mag” dedicated to the climate emergency, which Brittany must face.*

Brignogan was one of Ciarán's first victims, and today City Hall faces a quieter, but equally devastating, threat. “The Scluz and Garot areas are the most threatened.explains Sandrine Abgrall. “More than 200 people and around a hundred homes are in danger in the long term. That represents 6% of our population and 12% of homes. We must act, but without erecting gigantic walls.”

Unlike other municipalities which rely on the construction of dikes, Brignogan adopts a radically different approach: let nature do its work. “We are consolidating existing infrastructure, such as the dyke of the port of Pontusval, but we are not adding any”says the deputy mayor. “There’s no question of building a four-metre wall.”

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The idea is simple: less massive infrastructure, more flexibility. Risk areas are reclassified as non-buildable areas, and residents must accept that nature has the last word. “Building dikes only amplifies erosion”confirms Alain Hénaff. “This reflects wave energy elsewhere and destroys beaches in the long term.”

One of the major assets of the town is the Lividic dune, a natural rampart against the waves. “The dune protects us from submersion”explains Alain Hénaff. “All you have to do is preserve its vegetation and it will continue to play this role, without the need to build walls.” Simple arrangements, such as posts to direct walkers, have been installed to prevent the dune from being trampled, and the town hall is banking on gentle management of this fragile ecosystem.

Despite these efforts, the reality remains brutal for some residents: some houses will have to be abandoned. “People need to understand that their family home by the beach is probably the last generation that will be able to enjoy it”confides Sandrine Abgrall. “These are goods that have emotional and financial value, but it is becoming more and more difficult.”

For Alain Hénaff, it is time to accept this harsh reality: “Telling people that they will have to give up their land is a difficult thing to say, but it’s the truth.” The management of these risk areas will take place over several decades, but the shock for families will be real.

Also read: “It’s a bottomless pit”, houses razed to prevent submersion in Brittany

For the mayor of Plounéour, the issue is clear: “I am a mother, and when I think of my children, I know that in 2100, they will live in a world where the sea level will have changed considerably. So we must anticipate, plan today.”

However, she remains optimistic and determined. “We don't want to enter a spiral of anxiety. We prefer to act and propose solutions to make this future more livable. It's a challenge, but we are ready.”

At a time when storms are becoming more and more violent, Brignogan's message is clear: adapt, or endure. Far from traditional concrete solutions, the town chooses to work with nature, in a gesture that is both humble and lucid. “You have to agree to change”concludes Sandrine Abgrall. “If we don’t act now, tomorrow will be too late.”

Faced with rising water levels, the town of Plounéour-Brignogan-Plages is opting for realistic strategies, where humans adapt to nature rather than dominating it.

*See or re-watch “Regional Survey, the Mag': One year after storm Ciaran, Brittany facing the climate emergency”: