Technical visits 

Tuesday and Thursday will be devoted to technical visits in the region to illustrate the themes.

A comprehensive programme of technical visits is currently being developed.

  • Technical visits are NOT included in the registration fees. Prices to be announced soon.
  • The number of participants will be limited.
  • Reservations will be handled on a first come- first served basis.
  • Reservations will open in June.

Technical Visit 1 : Smart irrigation: from plant-level management to regional planning for water and energy efficiency within the Canal de Provence area

Organized by : Société du Canal de Provence

  • Date and time: October 13, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Departure / return: Marseille Chanot
  • Included: transportation by bus and lunch
  • Visit language: English

A historic and innovative player in water management, the Société du Canal de Provence (SCP) is exceptionally opening its sites to conference participants for an immersive experience at the heart of a unique multi-purpose hydraulic system in Europe. This technical visit offers the opportunity to discover how smart irrigation, supported by remote management systems, ensures efficient and sustainable water use at all scales.

The day will alternate between technical presentations, infrastructure tours, and field observations across the Canal de Provence area.

Technical Visit 2 – FROM INNOVATION AT FIELD LEVEL TO MULTI-PURPOSE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT WATERSHED SCALE: PROVENÇAL INSTITUTIONS PROMOTE THE AGROECOLOGICAL TRANSITION AND WATER SOBRIETY

  • Date & time: Tuesday, 13 October, 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Departure / return: Marseille Chanot
  • Included: transportation by bus and lunch
  • Language: English

This technical visit offers a cross-cutting perspective on water management in Provence, highlighting the close links between agricultural innovation, institutional support and collective governance of water resources at the territorial level. From individual agricultural plots to the Durance River watershed, it showcases how Provençal stakeholders combine experimentation, agroecological transition and efficient water use in a context of climate change and increasing pressure on water resources.

The day will alternate between site visits, institutional meetings and discussions on drought crisis management, drawing on concrete examples of cooperation between the agricultural sector and water management authorities.

Technical Visit 3 – FROM THE RHÔNE RIVER TO THE FIELD: MAJOR HYDRAULIC INFRASTRUCTURE, REMOTE MANAGEMENT AND EXPERIMENTATION IN SUPPORT OF MEDITERRANEAN IRRIGATION

Organized by : Compagnie du Bas Rhône Languedoc (BRL)

  • Date & time: Tuesday, 13 October, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Departure / return: Marseille Chanot
  • Included: transportation by bus and lunch
  • Language: French – English

This technical visit offers an in-depth immersion into the irrigation system operated by the Compagnie du Bas Rhône Languedoc (BRL), a key player in hydraulic development in the Occitanie region. It highlights the structuring role of large-scale water transfer infrastructures from the Rhône River, combined with advanced remote management systems, and their integration with agronomic experimentation at field level.

From pumping stations to experimental trials in fruit orchards, the visit illustrates the complementarity between modernised historical infrastructures, optimised water resource management and technical support for Mediterranean agriculture.

 

Technical Visit 4 – HYDRAULIC HERITAGE : THE PARTITEUR DU MERLE, A STRATEGIC HYDRAULIC STRUCTURE IN THE CRAU PLAIN

  • Date & time: Thursday, 15 October, 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Departure / return: Marseille Chanot
  • Included: transportation by bus
  • Language: French – English

This technical visit offers an opportunity to discover the Partiteur du Merle, an emblematic and heritage hydraulic structure located at the heart of the Crau plain. Built around 1785, this structure is a key node in the local hydraulic system, based on collective water management rules that have remained in force for more than two centuries.

At the crossroads of heritage, agricultural and environmental challenges, the visit will provide insight into the operation of an ancient and complex gravity-based water distribution system, while placing it in the context of contemporary issues such as climate change, multi-purpose water resource management and ecosystem preservation.