How to take part?
Would you also like to help out and have fun by joining a clean-up operation in La Rochelle’s harbor?
in the waters of La Rochelle’s harbour
Eco-friendly walk and harbour clean-up
It’s a hot Friday afternoon on La Rochelle’s Old Port. The terraces are crowded, tourists are strolling, and boats sway gently under the sun. Amid this lively summer scene, five figures in green vests walk along the pontoons, armed with nets, rakes, and a waste trailer at the ready. Their mission: to scoop up the floating debris from the harbor. Their rallying point: the Écho-Mer association, which has been taking concrete action for over 20 years to preserve the coastline.
Another way to discover the harbour
The scene may be surprising at first glance, but very soon it becomes a source of respect and curiosity. A few passers-by stop the volunteers, ask them questions, and offer their congratulations. And on that day, I walked the pontoons alongside the green vests.
Everything begins at 4 p.m., near the Chalutiers Basin. It is here, at the association’s meeting place, that Sonia, Michel, Gérard, and the two Philippes greet me with a smile and a warm handshake. All of them have been volunteers for several years, some retired, others still working but all share the same motivation: to take action, in their own way, to protect the marine environment.
🗨️ We won’t save the ocean with a net, but it’s a start.
Michel tells me as he picks up a cup wedged between two sailboat hulls.
An action everyone can take
🗨️ It’s simple, accessible, and rewarding. You go home with the feeling that you’ve been useful. And along the way, you learn a lot.
Sonia tells me as she empties her net into the trailer.
Because beyond the action itself, there are the conversations. With boaters, tourists, curious passers-by. The topics are pollution, biodiversity, the ocean. And it quickly becomes clear that picking up a piece of litter is opening the door to a broader awareness.
The association encourages everyone to take part, even if only once, whenever their schedule allows. And for those who want to get more involved, membership is possible: €15 per year, or €5 for students and job seekers. Today, around a hundred members embody Écho-Mer, an association founded in 2001.
And after that?
Our session ends on the quays of the Bassin à Flot. The sun is still shining, and the trailer is already well filled. We compare the day’s haul before moving on to the essential weighing ritual. 9 kg! A discouraging number, perhaps, but still 9 kilos less in the harbor waters.
Before we part ways, David Beaulieu, founder and director of the association, tells me about another aspect of Écho-Mer’s work: giving new value to certain types of waste, such as corks or neoprene wetsuits, which are transformed through local recycling channels.
And for those who prefer a more contemplative approach, the association also offers eco-citizen walks, to discover the history of the harbor and explore yesterday’s and tomorrow’s environmental challenges.
Visits & activities
Practical information
Meet David Beaulieu, founder of the Écho-Mer association
David, a sailor and poet committed to the ocean
Both sailor and poet, it was at sea that he became aware of the urgent need to protect the ocean. From this conviction was born Écho-Mer, a La Rochelle-based association that has been working for over twenty years to reduce human impact. Anchored in La Rochelle, his home port, he shares his love for the sea and the city that nurtures his commitment.
Written by
Julie Loizeau Leboissetier