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Private Notes
The Gironde estuary is the largest estuary in Western Europe. Nature is changeable and sometimes capricious: islands are born while others disappear before the gaze of its inhabitants. A different view depending on whether they live on the right bank or the left bank... This gigantic estuary is the landmark of small, unspoilt universes that are well apart. Architects have had a field day constructing unique buildings when it is not summer visitors who reinvest in troglodyte houses with breathtaking views of the Gironde. The estuary is an opportunity to meet men and women who help us discover the secrets of the place of their happiness.
16,000 km from Paris, New Caledonia offers much more than postcard landscapes. This little piece of France of the antipodes conceals real treasures. Since 2008, its lagoon has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This unspoilt setting is full of abundant nature. Turtles, sharks and dugongs live peacefully along the second longest barrier reef in the world after Australia. But for how much longer? Aware of the challenge of preserving such a legacy, men and women are fighting so that future generations can also marvel at such biodiversity.
It was on the Northeast Coast of the United States, from New York to Boston, that the American dream was born; this idea that anything is possible in the United States, by dint of hard work... And that dream continues to attract. From France, and from all over the world, they still come to try their luck in this region turned towards the ocean. True to the spirit of the first pioneers, they move forward, take on challenges, explore, as worthy heirs of the American dream.
The Arctic is melting. The polar bear is dying. The sea ice is on the verge of disappearing. It's sad, but in the end, it's only a matter of point of view because under the effect of global warming, all the riches of the Arctic Ocean are now revealed to the world: oil, gold, fishing resources, new trade routes.
What if the sea came to Greece's rescue? What if the sea was one of the solutions to the crisis? "The sea has a country" was an advertising slogan in the 70's! This adage is even truer today. With more than 20 million tourists last year, and a population of 11 million, Greece and its coastline are attracting more than ever. With a coastline of 15,000 kilometres, more than 9,000 islands and islets, Greece is a country where it is rare to lose sight of the sea. From the cliffs of the Corinth Canal to the herders of the Messolonghi Lagoon, from the sponge fishermen of Kalymnos, from the sailors of Samos to the shipowners of Piraeus, from the splendours of Santorini to the protected turtles of Zakhyntos, this film follows this possible rebirth along the water, this new maritime odyssey.
It's an invitation to sail on both sides of the Channel. On the northern Brittany side, it is a country of surprising lights, between Roscoff and the bay of Morlaix. It is also a country of sailors and farmers who never hesitate to look beyond the horizon, towards Plymouth in particular. The people who live along this green and contrasting coastline all say they are fascinated by the rhythm of the tides that reinvent the landscapes every day. On the other hand, we share the same pride, and each other's history is intimately linked.
The Seine estuary is the sea an hour from Paris, a place you think you know everything about... "In this estuary, it's nature trying to find its place alongside industries. We have to try to preserve it." A journey through this maritime campaign turns out to be a series of surprises, paradoxes, and astonishing images. For 160 kilometres, industry and commerce coexist here permanently, as best they can, with nature and historical heritage.
The Camargue is the daily rendezvous of the sea and a river. The Rhône delta forms a sprawling territory. Seen from the sky, it looks like arms of land plunging into the Mediterranean, unless it's the other way around: the big blue setting out to conquer a wild yet fragile moorland. This world of land and water is a refuge for thousands of animals but it is also a haunt for travellers, nomads and adventurers in search of freedom.
Tonight Thalassa will pay tribute to Florence Arthaud. Testimonies from friends, memories of the race and moments shared with the sailor who tragically passed away in Argentina. This programme dedicated to Saint Malo, the starting point of the Route du Rhum, the mythical race that Florence Arthaud won in 1990, is dedicated to her.
After the Gironde and the Seine, Thalassa continues its tour of the estuaries of France. Between Saint Nazaire and Nantes, the Atlantic invites itself into an unusual territory: the Loire estuary. Shipyards rub shoulders with reed beds, cargo ships cross paths with glass eels and contemporary artists create a new landscape in this maritime space.
For the tide of the century, the Thalassa teams are on the coast, from north to south-west, to capture the key moments, among the most spectacular when the sea recedes and the sea rises.
From west to east, Algerian landscapes offer a fascinating variety. Thalassa takes us on a unique journey along these 1600 kilometres of coastline.
On the other side, the Vendée welcomes thousands of tourists every year attracted by the beaches and the incessant spectacle of the ocean. On the other hand, the region is a delight for all those who have chosen to live from the sea whatever the weather and the moods of the Atlantic. The islanders – Noirmoutier, the island of Yeu – rarely land on the mainland, irresistibly magnetized by their piece of land in the middle of the ocean.
Facing Marseille, the Côte d'Azur and Corsica, there are well-hidden "nuggets": a myriad of enchanting islands and islets. Battered by the winds, scorched by the sun, these small pieces of land are difficult to access and little known to the general public; They have remained true paradises, rich in a totally preserved wild nature. Those who are lucky enough to live or work there open the doors to these islands full of mysteries...
Thalassa conquers the East... And more precisely the Gulf of Riga, a small hidden paradise, on the Baltic Sea, 3 hours flight from France. Riga, the capital of Latvia, is a captivating port. It has always attracted sailors like a magnet. Today, it is tourists who land on this still wild coast. Latvia is one of the greenest countries in the world. Its openness to the world makes it a fabulous territory for all those who dream of adventure... Totally unspoilt, Latvia has a coastline lined with fine sandy beaches and forests. Riga, its capital, is a crossroads between Scandinavia and Russia. This port city has an exceptional cultural and architectural heritage.
Thalassa goes to meet enthusiasts, who fight for the preservation of Corsica's natural heritage. For 28 years, Jean-Marie Dominici has been looking after the Scandola Reserve, the only natural site in metropolitan France classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The seabed surrounding Corsica also contains (...)
Morbihan is a superb corner of Brittany and the haunt of all those who love to live with and for the sea. Of course, there is the famous Gulf of Morbihan with its islands that make all lovers of wild and protected lands dream. But there are also many other wonders: Lorient and its oriental charm, the secrets of the small sea of Gâvres, the island of Groix which irresistibly attracts new inhabitants or the Ria d'Etel so peaceful when the sea is calm but whose dangers are known to all sailors. Far from the tourist clichés, the inhabitants of this territory reveal to us the pearls of "their" Morbihan!
Sydney is the dream of every travel-loving and adventure-loving foreigner. So, they come from all over the world to try their luck in this country where the sun shines all year round. We will discover the brightest aspects of this Australian megalopolis, go out to sea and immerse ourselves in wide open spaces while never straying far from the heart of Sydney, the Pacific city.
This is the story of a thousand-year-old struggle. Venice has always struggled with water, wind, salt and hordes of tourists. Today the Venetians are also fighting against a new danger: depopulation because the "City of the Doges" is losing its Venetians, day after day. Venice "the Serenissima" seems doomed, and yet it could well be saved... We set out to meet ordinary inhabitants, who move heaven and earth to save "their" extraordinary city.
Lisbon is one of the favorite cities of the French who voted it the best urban destination. Everything in the Portuguese capital reminds us of the presence of the ocean: the bridges that connect the two banks, the small shuttles that cross the river, the fishermen and the seaside air that perfumes the alleys... The 2 million inhabitants of Europe's only ocean capital live in Lisbon and its surroundings to the rhythm of the tides. The sea is their salvation, whatever their age and whatever their social status.
Between the sea and the mountains, the Alpes-Maritimes justify both their name and their reputation! Nature and man bring together 2 worlds that are complementary. What do the Côte d'Azur "star-studded and glittery" and the villages of the hinterland perched on the mountainside have in common? From Nice to the Mercantour Park, it is the inhabitants of this region who offer us the answer: they are the life and wealth of this country!
On July 3 and 10, 2015, Thalassa invites you to a great journey along the coast of France. We will discover the coastline from the sky and at the water's edge. An itinerary where aerial shots are intertwined with sequences on land and at sea. A journey that will reveal all the maritime treasures of this coastal France. In two episodes, we go from coves to beaches, from estuaries to deltas, to travel the shores and appreciate the beauties of a landscape and a heritage that is unique in the world: the French coast!
Thalassa takes us to the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of the French coast. On the Atlantic coast, head to the spectacular salt marshes of Guérande, before experiencing a special day in Noirmoutier: a race against the sea on the Passage du Gois which connects the island to the mainland at low tide.
Mediterranean Spain is a journey that takes us from the wild coasts of Andalusia to the charms of Catalonia and Menorca - the most authentic of the Balearic Islands. You will meet a rebellious woman in the lagoon, Russians who have definitively set foot on the Costa Brava, a French ornithologist in love with a delta and adventurers from Andalusia who are not afraid of anything.
Protected by its hills and open to the Mediterranean, Marseille is an amphitheatre two and a half times larger than Paris. From the Calanques to the Côte Bleue, its coastline stretches over 57 kilometres. Imagine a city that encompasses 111 villages, France's first port and a national park. Today, a new wind is blowing over this gateway to the South. Marseille wants to put an end to its bad reputation. She can count on new faces.
Thalassa takes you to the end of the world. In the heart of Chilean Patagonia. An extraordinary journey between the island of Chiloé in the north and Tierra del Fuego in the south. Meet courageous men and women for whom the word solidarity takes on its full meaning! On the island of Chiloé, which is as big as Corsica, we will witness a Minga. The spectacular move of Marisol's house, pulled from the beach by about fifteen bulls... The best of the .. Region
The Conservatoire du Littoral has been protecting the coasts of France for forty years. Today, 160,000 hectares are under its protection, i.e. 1450 km of coastline. Gabriel Malauzat has sold his family's 650-hectare property in the Petite Camargue to the Conservatoire du Littoral: an exceptional site for his family.
Vanuatu is entering the 21st century with the full brunt of climate and economic upheaval. Sylvain, the volcanologist, fears an eruption that would endanger the population. To save them, scientific knowledge must take precedence over beliefs.
Maritime routes are all those invisible lines on the world's seas that unite people and allow trade.
We breathe largely thanks to the sea and it is thanks to it that our planet is habitable. Ocean currents and plankton play a major role in climate change.
This is the story of a great adventure, the Hermione written over almost twenty years that Thalassa has followed since the beginning.
