Blue Ways (Vies Blaves)

Blue Ways deals with three main challenges: to create a network of sustainable local mobility, to improve the accessibility to the industrial, cultural and natural heritage of the territory and to promote the local development through the creation of new tourism products.

From the tourist perspective, Blue Ways go through 59 municipalities from 7 counties for a total population of 400.000 inhabitants. It must be highlighted as a big area of influence since more than 5 million people live at less than half an hour. Besides, the area already counts on an important offer of accommodation that will benefit form this complementary infrastructure. Thus, the project will contribute to the de-concentration of the tourism offer to the hinterlands and to break the seasonality with the creation of new tourism products (i.e. cycling tourism).

With regards to the mobility and accessibility aspects, Blue Ways have been designed to guarantee the accessibility of all kind of users (3m width, slopes up to 6%, near the river but outside the flooding areas and taking advantage of existing paths, if possible). The ways include also viewpoints along the path, rest areas in special sites, the improvement of green areas and inclusive sections near the municipalities to facilitate local leisure for residents. It also considers the connection paths with municipalities along the ways and the connections with public transport.