Cap Cauderoue is one of the Lot-et-Garonne sites most popular with tourists. However, the weather and the fires put some spokes in the wheels of the leisure park.
Heat wave, forest fires, drought… This mid-season was not kind to certain Lot-et-Garonne tourist spots. Three episodes of heat waves in a month and a half, restrictions on activity in the forest give hope to Pascal Sanchez, director of the Cap Cauderoue leisure park, that the month of August will be better than its predecessor. “We are at around 300 people a day, it’s average for now,” he explains.
Second tourist point in Lot-et-Garonne after Walygator, Cap Cauderoue has always been very popular with tourists.
Located on the edge of Lot-et-Garonne and the Landes forest, the Cap Cauderoue tree climbing and outdoor activity park has been offering a multitude of activities for groups and families for many years, on around fifty hectares. About fifteen tree climbing courses for young and old, archery, canoeing, laser tag… All well sheltered by the pines of the forest massif. “People think that in the heat, it is strategic to retreat to water points or to stay indoors,” analyzes Pascal Sanchez, “however, choosing activities in the forest is just as strategic. We are in the shade, and it is good in the woods.” In addition, the site also offers water activities to cool off on the Baïse with canoe trips.
“We suffer the consequences of the announcements”
Despite this ideal geographical location in this scorching summer, the park teams have to deal with calls and the idea that the park would be closed. “We have a lot of calls to find out if we are working. People think, listening to the news and with all the announcements that come in, that we are closed. We suffer the consequences of these announcements.” Indeed, even if the Lot-et-Garonne forest massif has seen its alert status lowered from red to orange, it nevertheless remains high with a level of 3 out of 5.
However, apart from certain activities using the forest paths stopped from 2 p.m., which generates a small shortfall, the rest of the park operates normally. Indeed, one can still enjoy horseback riding, barefoot trails or pedal go-karts but only before the start of the afternoon. “As for the risk of forest fire, we are adapting day by day to the evolution of the decrees concerning the forest massif.” Due to its ERP status (establishment open to the public), Cap Cauderoue has all the guarantees allowing it to operate, despite the current vigilance over the Landes de Gascogne forest. “We are adapted to these risks with everything you need: meeting point, etc.”, continues the director of the park. “When you look closely, people aren’t really afraid of the risk of fire. What they are afraid of is getting too hot.”
