Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Talbert furrow is a 3.2 km long pebbly and sand-like coastal arrow, located in Pleubian (Côtes-d'Armor), between the Jaudy and Trieux estuaries. Formed about 6,000 years ago during the Holocene marine transgression, this cord was anchored to rocky pitfalls before gradually detaching under storms, especially after that of 1703. Today, it moves back to the coast at an accelerated pace (more than 2 m/year since 2002), threatened by erosion and sea submersions.

Listed as a regional nature reserve in 2006, the Talbert Sillon covers 205 hectares and protects a unique ecosystem, including 400 species of algae and rare migratory birds such as the Dwarf Tern. Its Natura 2000 site status (since 1998) underlines its European ecological importance. The pebbles, formerly used as building material (until 1907), and the goemon kilns testify to its history related to traditional coastal activities.

The management of the site, entrusted to the Coastal Conservatory in 2001, now favours natural methods to limit erosion, after the failure of the artificial rocks in the 1970s. Annual topomorphological monitoring, initiated in 2002, allows for the adaptation of conservation actions. The furrow, the northernmost continental point of Brittany, combines a geological interest (petrographic diversity of the pebbles) and mythological, with legends associated with Merlin and the Morgan fairy.

The vegetation of the furrow, composed of dune groups and protected species such as marine cabbage or Ray's renouée, has declined sharply (-80% in 40 years) due to trampling. To preserve biodiversity, access is regulated (prohibited dogs from April to September) and a marked path limits degradation. The ever-changing end spatula of the furrow expands thanks to the accumulation of pebbles carried by currents.

The site, integrated into the network of nature reserves of France, is managed by the commune of Pleubian with a five-year management plan validated by a scientific council. Its tourist interest, linked to its geomorphology and fauna, must be reconciled with the protection of its fragile habitats. Recent storms (such as 2013-2014) have increased its decline, revealing the vulnerability of this coastal formation to climate change.

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