Elne is preparing for maritime pollution with a major coastal exercise, POLMAR Terre, to strengthen crisis management and protect its coastline.
Elne's coastal access
Elne, a town in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, has direct access to the sea through its coastal area at the Bocal du Tech beach, even though its historical center is located inland.Coastal pollution risks
The town, along with its neighbors Saint-Cyprien and Argelès-sur-Mer, is naturally exposed to risks related to maritime pollution. This has prompted Elne to actively work on improving its readiness for such threats.Large-scale pollution exercise
On October 13 and 14, 2026, the port of Saint-Cyprien hosted a major exercise called POLMAR Terre. During the event, General Gilles Glin, Elne's delegate for municipal resilience, represented the town and took part in training and maneuvers.Exercise objectives
The exercise had two main goals: to raise awareness and inform local officials from coastal towns about managing crises caused by marine pollution, and to train local, departmental, and national responders in operational techniques like deploying anti-pollution barriers.Training organization
The highly technical training sessions were organized by the Service Mer et Littoral of the Direction Départementale des Territoires et de la Mer (DDTM) in the Pyrénées-Orientales. The operation was conducted under the joint authority of two key organizations: the National Expertise Pole POLMAR-Terre, which focuses on land-based intervention strategies, and CEDRE, an organization specializing in managing and providing expertise on aquatic environmental crises.Elne's commitment to protection
Through this rigorous preparation and the involvement of its officials and services, Elne reaffirms its commitment to protecting its coastline and beaches.
