The project, which is of great importance to Blanes’ tourism industry, will cost ten to twelve million Euro. Besides giving the waterfront a new look, the upgrade is also expected to solve the recurring problems of low levels of sand — as well as other storm damage — at S’Abanell beach.

Redevelopment will take place in two phases: phase one runs from the pedestrian zone at the rocky promentory of La Palomera to Mercè Rodoreda (see map below). Phase two, which is still being negotiated, deals with the area between Mercè Rodoreda and the Tordera river.

Boulevard along S’Abanell beach, July 2009, with temporary breakwater reinforcements
© Copyright VisitBlanes.com

The plan — which has also been approved by Spain’s Ministry of the Environment — will be put out to bid within two or three months, Blanes Mayor Jose Trias says.

However, the bidding process and execution of the project cannot start this year for lack of funds. Inititally it was expected that the work could begin as soon as this September, but the final plans were delivered to the Council after the budget deadline.

Municipal authorities are confident that the project will be awarded in 2012, and that work will commence that same year. The entire venture is expected to be completed in 2015.

No major construction will take place during the tourist season, so tourists will not be inconvenienced.

As yet undecided are some aspects of Phase 2 of the plan, which among other things calls for the possible extension of the boulevard all the way to Malgrat.

Storm Damage

The residential neighborhood of El Pins is home to most of Blanes’ hotels and campings.

An improvement project for the tourist district has long been in the planning.

In March, 2009 the renovation of Passeig de Abanell was referred to as a parallel project. However, that project — which involves the renovation of Passeig de Abanell, improvements to the beach, and measures expected to help combat erosion of the beach — is now getting priority treatment.

Over the past decade increasingly violent winter storms have repeatedly decimated S’Abanell beach, frequently causing much damage to the boulevard that runs along it, as well as to the buildings on the boulevard.

While the sand has always been replaced well in time for the tourist season, the yearly cost associated with the recreation of the beach has become prohibitive.

In 2008 tourists noticed that the sand level at S’Abanell was significantly lower than in previous years.

Later that year the Costa Brava was battered by a massive storm. In what the mayor referred to as the worst storm Blanes has seen since the 1950s, the December 26 storm caused much damage to pleasure boats, fishing vessels, tourist ferries and the boulevards along Platja de Blanes and S’Abanell.

At S’Abanell, two buildings on the boulevard were destroyed — the lifeguard station and a small bar, and sections of the boulevard were swept away.

While the storm was uncharacteristically strong, it is believed that the low level of sand at S’Abanell contributed to the amount of damage done to the boulevard and its structures.

One year later a lengthy section of the boulevard was reconstructed and reinforced with boulders.

Though the repairs were of a temporary nature they have already paid off since this stretch of the boulevard has not been damaged during subsequent storms.

Several unprotected sections of the boulevard did receive damage, and in some spots the boulevard’s pavement is still buckled.

Phase 1

The waterfront to be redeveloped in Phase 1 of the project falls under the responsibility of the State of Spain.

The area covered by Phase 2 is the responsibility of La Generalitat de Catalunya. The Generalidat is still negotiating some aspects of the project, which will impact the campings in that area.

Cellestino Lillo, Councillor for the Environment
© Copyright Zoe Diez Gomez Used by permission

Both Mayor Trias and the Councillor for the Environment, Celestino Lillo, considered it important that the project would include not just the fortification and redevelopment of the boulevard, but also the traffic lanes and the pavement across the road.

In Phase 1 the traffic lanes will be pushed back anywhere between 5 and 12 meters, depending on the area. In some spots, such as at Passeig de la Marina in front of the school, this will result in a loss of parking spaces.

The parking spaces across the road from the school will disappear as well. This stretch of the walkway — between La Palomera and boulevard restaurant El Pins — will be moved 2 meters landinwards in order to facilitate the beach. Currently the ‘beach’ along this section of the boulevard usually consists only of huge breakwater boulders.

Lilo says that when the construction is finished the Ministry of the Environment will contribute 500,0000 m³ of sand to S’Abanell beach — instead of the 100,000 m³ normally provided. At that time the beach will be anywhere from 2 to 12 meters wide.

The boulevard along S’Abanell beach will be protected by a breakwater of huge boulders buried underneath the sand.

Buried underneath the sand across the entire boulevard will be a 3 to 4 meters deep breakwater consisting of large boulders — a construction designed to prevent storm damage to the new boulevard.

The boulevard will sport a decorative pavement and room for trees and benches. The same pavement will also be used for the pedestrian walkways across the traffic lanes.

The restaurants along the boulevard will also be renovated. However, they will be reduced in size from 200 m² to 120 m².

Passeig de la Marina — which runs between plaçac de Catalunya and Passeig de Catalunya (at the fountain) — will remain a two-way street, but traffic along Passeig de Abanell will run South only (thus in the direction of the campings). A bike path will be created alongside the traffic lane.

In addition, some side streets of Passeig de Abanell will be turned into pedestrians-only zones.

Phase 2

Phase 2 of the project will have a big impact on four campings along the seafront: Camping Blanes, Bella Terra, Voramar and El Pinar.

Camping El Pinar — at the Southernmost end, next to the Tordera river — will reportedly disappear as it is located on property that, according to the zoning plan, is part of the seafront.

The other three campings will have to give up some ground, as the boulevard in that area will be pushed up to 40 meters landinwards. This is necessary because the city and the Generalitat plan to fortify the shore in this area.

In addition there are plan to extend the boulevard not just to Avingude de la vila de la Madrid, but also to extend it all the way to Malgrat so that the two sea-side resorts are connected.

By virtue of its relative size Camping Blanes is expected to lose the least amount; Bella Terra more, and Voramar a big chunk of ground.

The camping owners are reluctant to give up space. They are negotiating with the city as well as with each other. Bella Terra reportedly has offered to buy whatever is left of Voramar in order to recoup its own loss of acreage. The plans for Phase 2 can not be finanalized until all parties come to an agreement.

Incidentally, last year El Pinar and Voramar, afraid of another devastating storm, illegally built a defense wall consisting of large boulders. The city fined the campings a total of €6,000, but notes that the remaining campings will benefit from the fortification measures included in the redevelopment plan.

2011 Tourist Season

As it has done every year, the City of Blanes will make sure there is enough sand on the beaches from Club de Vela at the harbor to the Tordera River.

Blanes’ harbor expansion project is coming along just fine
© Copyright Zoe Diez Gomez Used by permission

Meanwhile work on the harbor enlargement and fortification project has steadily advanced.

That project also includes the building of a jetty for the tour boats that ferry tourists between Blanes and other resorts along the Costa Brava coast.

When the harbor project is finished the retaining wall will have been transformed into a counterpart of the popular seafront boulevard along Platja de Blanes and the yachting harbor.

The city has said it will encourage tourists and locals alike to use the harbor area as an ideal place to eat, walk and recreate. The walkway atop the retaining wall will include concession stands.

Blanes Beachfront Redevelopment Map

View Blanes beachfront redevelopment project in a larger map

- Reporter: Zoé Díez Gómez. Editing: Visit Blanes

While the beach was ready for use by the start of this year’s tourist season, additional sand is needed to bring the beach back to how it was prior to the storms of January and December 2008.

Reconstruction of S’Abanell beach, Blanes.
Photo: Jose Gonsalvo

Delivery of the sand was delayed while Spain’s Ministry of the Environment completed an environmental impact study.

During the next two to three weeks, 250.000 cubic meters of sand will be added to S’Abanell beach. The sand is extracted from a spot off the coast of Arenys de Mar, a beach town in the province of Barcelona, some 20 miles south of Blanes.

The sand is collected, 8.000 cubic meters at a time, in a barge and sprayed onto the beach through a ship-to-shore pipeline. A dragliner redistributes the sand.

S’Abanell beach lines Blanes’ hotel and camping district. However, the reconstruction work takes place in sections of 150 meters at a time, allowing tourists to enjoy the rest of the beach.

Celestino Lillo, Blanes’ councilor for the Environment, thinks the sand will be enough to last through the winter — provided the town isn’t hit by another destructive storm.

Blanes is one of many Costa Brava sea-side resorts where damage that occured during last December’s extraordinary storm is still being repaired.

In 2010 the town hopes to start work on a project to upgrade its tourist district, including the boulevard along S’Abanell beach.

Delivery is now expected to take place in late July or early August.

S’Abanell, one of longest beaches of the Costa Brava, was seriously decimated by last December’s destructive storm.

The Boxing Day storm — said to be the worst the Costa Brava has seen since the late 1950s — caused an estimated €20 million in damage to beaches, boulevards, walkways, bridges and quays along the coast.

In Blanes powerful waves not only dragged most of S’Abanell’s sand out to sea, but also damaged large sections of the promenade alongside the beach.

Much of the beach was reconstructed well before the tourist season started. The additional 250.000 cubic meters of sand was to be in place by June, but delivery was delayed due to environmental impact research.

The search for machinery — with the right capacity and at the right price — further delayed the project.

The extra sand is now expected to be deposited in the last week of June or the first week of August.

S’Abanell beach and boulevard

First-time visitors to Blanes will be delighted with S’Abanell beach even in its current incarnation.

So will return visitors, though they’ll notice that the beach is smaller and somewhat lower than in previous years. The extra delivery of sand will remedy that.

The City Council of Blanes hopes that the construction of an underwater breakwater will go a long way to prevent another cycle of erosion this coming winter.

Meanhwile, the damaged sections of the boulevard along S’Abanell beach have been repaired — in semi-permanent fashion.

Huge boulders have been deposited along large sections of the boulevard. In places where the boulevard was dragged away by the waves, concrete has replaced the decorative red and white tiles.

Sets of stairs have been installed to provide access to the sand, and a wooden fence discourages people from breaking their necks should they try and climb across the rocks.

In several places, potted palm trees are bolted to the concrete.

Change is in the air, though. Some time next year work will commence on a huge project to upgrade Blanes’ tourist district — including Paseo de S’Abanell.

The 40-year-old man reportedly attempted to swim to a buoy that marks the edge of the swimming area, about 200 meters from the coast. Local sources say the man apparently ran out of strength before reaching the buoy.

A lifeguard had already called for help and entered the sea himself to try and rescue the swimmer. However, by the time a boat arrived the man had drowned. His body was found on the seabed, 15 meters below the surface.

Police do not suspect foul play, but as usual in these cases a coroner will determine the actual cause of death.

Water Safety

Lifeguards are on duty along most of the beaches of Blanes — certainly the busy ones frequented by locals and tourists alike.

Still, it pays to be careful when in the water. In most places the water level drops steeply just meters from the beach, and water further from the shore may be a lot colder. Among other things this can bring on cramps.

It is a good idea to swim in small groups. If you are determined to swim alone, have someone watch you from the shore. Agree on a distress signal; otherwise your friend may think you are simply waving ‘hello’ while in fact you’re signaling for help.

The storm, said to be the worst the Costa Brava has seen since the late 1950s, caused an estimated €20 million in damage to beaches, boulevards, walkways, bridges and quays.

Money for repairs has been made available by the Central Government, but in some places environmental impact studies are slowing down the work.

S’Abanell beach, Blanes

All along the Costa Brava the beaches are ready for tourist season — though some beaches have less sand than usual. Too, in a few places tourists will have to share at least a portion of the beach with earth moving and construction equipment.

In blanes, S’Abanell — the longest beach at the Costa Brava — now has more sand than it had in 2008. In that year, sand replaced after one winter storm had to again be replaced after a second storm. The boulevard along that beach was also damaged in those two storms.

All through the 2008 tourist season the sand level at S’Abanell was noticeably lower than in previous years, and this may well have contributed to the amount of damage done to the boulevard along the beach during the extraordinarily powerful December storm.

The City of Blanes is waiting for another 250,000 cubic meters of sand to be added by June. The sand has been promised by the Ministry of the Environment, but its delivery was delayed pending an environmental impact statement — since the sand is to be removed from Maresme instead of from the mouth of the Tordera river.

Most of S’abanell boulevard has now been reconstructed, though work is still being performed on a 600-meter stretch. Meanwhile, repair work on the further end of the boulevard, near the camp grounds, hasn’t even started yet.

Other places

Construction work at the half-mile long promenade of Escala is in full swing, but is not expected to be completed till the middle of August.

In the coming weeks, repair work will commence along the coastlines of Cadaqués, Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar and L’Hospitalet de l’Infant.

The divers, which included members of Spain’s national police, Blane’s local police force, and of the national civil defense and emergency services, cleared wreckages and other garbage resulting from the devastating storm last December.

The storm caused millions of Euros worth of damage along most of the Catalonian coast. In Blanes, the harbor was pounded by record-breaking waves. In the aftermath of the storm, the town’s heavily damaged beaches were strewn with the remains of pleasure crafts, fishing boats and tourist ferries.

Divers also removed iron fences, street signs and other scrap that had washed out to sea around Sa Palomera and S’Abanell. The fences shielded construction work being performed on the boulevard along S’Abanell beach — which had been damaged in previous storms.

Similar cleanup efforts have been — or are scheduled to be — performed along the coastline of other Costa Brava resorts affected by the storm.

It’s mild climate ensures almost year-round mild weather.

But from time to time, storms do occur. The latest, in December 2008, was one of the worst in more than 50 years.

Summertime tourists and holiday makers the world over will be aghast when they see what happened to their favorite beaches. Some are strewn with the wreckages of fishing vessels, dinghies and even tourist ferries. Others have disappeared altogether:

Blanes Beaches Will Be Back

Just like after the big storms at the beginning of 2008, when the beaches of Blanes disappeared, the sand will be restored in plenty of time for tourist season.

That’s the summer picture. The one that locals and tourists alike keep coming back for year after year.

Blanes can also be wonderful during the winter. On the desktop of one of our computers one Vista gadget displays the weather in Amsterdam, and another the weather in Blanes. There are plenty of times when the Amsterdam gadget shows up as grey, rainy, and 4 degrees Celcius — while the one for Blanes taunts us with sunshine and 15 degrees.

But that’s not the whole picture — and here is something no gadget can quite capture — the aftermath of the boxing day, 2008, storm: