Interview with Bruno Roland, Mayor of Ramatuelle

You are entering your fourth term of office in the middle of a pandemic. How are you approaching this period?

Bruno Roland: The ecological transition is at the heart of this term. We are approaching it with energy, thanks to a younger municipal team and a determination to commit our commune to an approach resolutely turned towards innovation in response to the challenges of the twenty-first century. The pandemic is a revealer, a signal that confirms us in this direction. Our programme is ready; it rests on the three fundamental pillars of sustainable development, bringing together ecology, the economy and solidarity.

The previous term was devoted to implementing the schéma d’aménagement (development plan) for Pampelonne beach. An ambitious programme, already part of a transition towards a more “cooperative” relationship with the nature that gives us our quality of life and the success of our economy. We are beginning the third season in this natural space, restored little by little. It is not finished, but the heaviest work has been done. We shall now turn to the revitalisation of the village and to enhancing its heritage.

You mention Pampelonne beach. What is at stake in the development of a territory?

B. R.: In the twenty-first century, the action of man on his environment is decisive. We have a responsibility to write this history of the territory, and we must do so in cooperation with nature. Ramatuelle has every asset needed to offer a desirable future, respectful of our heritage, our landscapes and our resources, thanks to the continuity of the policy of protection begun 50 years ago. These values presided over the creation of the Combes-Jauffret eco-hamlet, certified “bâtiment durable méditerranéen” (Mediterranean sustainable building) at “Gold” level, which is exceptional. It is today a place of life, collective, mutually supportive and respectful of the site that hosts it.

We must also know how to bring ecology and the economy together. It is a whole culture under construction, one that all parties, private and public, must share and promote. The schéma d’aménagement for Pampelonne beach is a concrete illustration of this. Ramatuelle is the first coastal commune to apply such a plan. It is evolving and improvable, and it already stands as an example. Like the dune itself, nothing is fixed, for working with living things requires understanding them, respecting them and taking the time to adapt to them. The return to the site of very rare species that were on the point of disappearing, observed after only two years of effort, is the finest reward. It is a project of scale, one that has to reconcile the economic stakes of a designated tourist resort within a remarkable natural space.

The quality of the establishments installed on the beach is remarkable. All have shown innovation, in their design and in the materials chosen as much as in the aesthetics and the integration into the site.

What do you mean by revitalisation of the village?

B. R.: This programme will give the village room to breathe, adapt to new ways of living and of getting about, calm its centre and give more space to cycling in particular. It must encourage the development of services suited to residents’ expectations. It is for them and with them that this project is being built; they will be involved through periods of consultation.

It is also a matter of accommodating year-round housing and activity, while upgrading public spaces to make them more agreeable for pedestrians. The Baou de Roustan quarter has already been upgraded and the new Maison de Santé (health centre) is a success. It is now around the village centre that the revitalisation will be organised. The place de l’Ormeau is its pivot. The idea is to rethink the organisation of the space there and to create the conditions that favour economic activity as well as convivial moments. The commune owns buildings in the village and could acquire more in order to establish there companies in fields linked to renewable energy, to new information and communication technologies, and so on.

How do you see the coming season?

B. R.: Our territory offers our visitors what they increasingly look for: opportunities to rebuild their mental and physical health in contact with nature, with culture and with live performance.

I think, moreover, that we shall speak less and less of a “season” and more and more of a territory of refuge all year round, with a charm as attractive in winter as in summer… but with different assets: the beaches, the coastal path and the forest massif, which offer breathtaking landscapes and varied walking routes. Wines that are now sought after and increasingly “organic”, and a dynamic, promising agriculture. An architectural heritage and cultural activity all year round. Soft modes of transport, with cycling gaining ground, and so many other resources that make for the quality of life in Ramatuelle.