It is one of the ten busiest greenways in France, trodden each year by around 200,000 people, on foot or by bike. 80 kilometers long, located in the Haut-Languedoc regional natural park, the PassaPais took over the paths taken by an old railway line linking Bédarieux (Hérault) to Mazamet (Tarn).
Created in 1973, the park’s mission is to work for the economic, cultural and social development of the territory, “while preserving and enhancing the richness of its unique natural and cultural heritage”. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, its managers had the idea of calling on six street artists to embellish the various works that line it: bridges and tunnels in particular, but also private buildings. And, of course, no natural elements. “Several artists recognized and sensitive to environmental issues have been selected, evokes the departmental council of Hérault, owner of various “revisited” and embellished infrastructures. They worked together to imagine a collective work”.
“The Urgency to Slow Down”
“Under the red thread “the urgency to slow down”, these artists carry the values of the regional natural park and raise awareness of current ecological issues”, detail the managers of the park. Like the fresco inaugurated on March 21 in the swimming pool tunnel in Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, where Marianne Villière poetically represented 18 endangered species living in the park. On the Tarn side, the fresco will be inaugurated on March 30.
Marianne Villière, but also Adec, Clara Langelez, Foa, Nadège Feron and Monsieur BMX brought their message in a collective ode to the environment. “The achievement was not always obvious at this time of year (December to March), which was a real challenge for everyone”, evokes the Spot, the association in charge of coordinating the work of different artists. “An extraordinary project”, for Laurent for Kilani, its artistic director: “we tried to slip in messages of awareness. We had fun leaving a graphic trace all along the route”.