Le Galion Hotel soon demolished

The Galion protection and development project, long sponsored by the Conservatoire du Littoral and the Saint Martin Collectivité, will materialize in the next few days with the start of the demolition work on the ruins of the former hotel.

Safety perimeter

At first, the asbestos contained in the buildings will be removed and evacuated, in order to be treated and recycled by an innovative vitrification process. The demolition site will be demarcated and secured near the buildings, so as to ensure public safety while enabling the many activities on the site to be continued. This first phase, which should last about three months, will be followed by a demolition phase of the same duration starting at the beginning of the school year in September, to avoid any problems during the summer vacation. Just before the beginning of this project which will benefit all the users of the site, it seems important to clarify a few things.

Historical background

The acquisition of the AW 16 parcel by the Conservatoire du Littoral, which became final by a court decision, was the outcome of a process initiated in 1995. At the time, Galion Beach was identified as a priority site by the Conservatoire du Littoral intervention program, in agreement with the Collectivité. Given the failure of the amicable negotiations, the two institutions decided to launch compulsory acquisition proceedings against the SCI, which owned Galion at the time. The aim of protecting the site from urbanization and privatization, and preserving its ecological and landscape assets for the benefit of the greatest number, was approved in 2007 by declaring the public utility of the project. The Conservatoire du Littoral became the owner of the parcel by the expropriation order of December 10, 2007, from the Basse-Terre district court. The dispute between the former owner and the Conservatory concerning this expropriation has been closed since April 2015.

Maintaining Galion as a beach for the people

The Conservatoire du Littoral’s goal on the site is clear: on the one hand, to restore the degraded areas of the site and maintain its naturalness; on the other hand, to develop the site for receiving the public and being compatible with multiple uses. The popular and family vocation of the beach will, therefore, be preserved and even enhanced; the Conservatory indeed acquired Galion specifically to ensure its free access. A part of the site will be reserved for facilities, including a quality snack booth and public restrooms.

To achieve this goal, the Conservatory will set up partnerships with the structures and people who are already involved on Galion Beach. The Collectivité, by collecting garbage every day and cleaning the site twice a week through the subsidized employment company, EME, the swimming pool and the future lifeguard station. The schools for sports activities and environmental education. The Réserve Naturelle, for the management of the Conservatory’s land. The users of the site and first of all the residents, who are familiar with this ideal beach for children, in particular through the Neighborhood Council.

Securing the site and its development for the public are underway. During the demolition of the ruins, the development program will be discussed with the partners, especially with the Neighborhood Council. Its will aim at improving the beach’s reception conditions, which is particularly popular among the inhabitants of Saint-Martin.