School trip to discover island life: from the sea to the land

Daughter of the first chef de secteur of the Parc national de Port-Cros, Marianne Barrois was 10 days old when she arrived on the island of Port-Cros.

I lived there until the age of 5 with my brother, sister and parents. After that, my father moved to the Park's offices in Hyères to avoid boarding school for his children.

This early childhood in a protected area, she says, forged her slightly wild character

sociability isn't a matter of course for me, I'm a bit out of touch.

But this life in the middle of nature also gave her an early sensitivity to the environment:

I used to walk the paths of Port-Cros with my father, who would tell me the names of the plants..

After completing her schooling in Hyeres, she went on to study geography in Aix-en-Provence, then in Quebec City through an inter-university exchange. At Laval University, she specialized in toponymy.

I lived there for 4 years.

Back in France in 1995, she applied for a job as an environmental educator at Igesa⁽¹⁾ on the island of Porquerolles. This establishment welcomes the families of personnel from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, and organizes vacation camps for their children, as well as school trips (from primary to secondary level) for the French Ministry of Education. She was initially recruited as a seasonal worker,

In winter, I'd go back to Quebec or other countries.

Then, in 2000, she was offered a permanent contract as an Environmental Education Officer, responsible for school trips and vacation camps.

My job is to raise children's awareness of the fragility of our planet through a variety of activities, such as nature walks, nature rallies, artistic and historical workshops, etc. We also offer guided hikes for adults on vacation at our establishment.

Passionate about her work, since 2019 she has been involved in a new mission with great conviction and energy within the interdepartmental working group on sustainable development created at Igesa.

Today, I'm working on a differentiated management plan for the green spaces of all our establishments, to encourage biodiversity and raise awareness among gardeners of the need to work differently: without pesticides, giving preference to indigenous plants, etc. In addition, we have set up initiatives to promote the circular economy and waste management, in collaboration with the NGO Smilo and the Hyères town council.

Long involved in these initiatives, she sees her new responsibilities as

a recognition of my work and new challenges. That's how the link was made with the Esprit Parc National brand.

The brand?

For me, it represents a continuation of the links forged with the Park over many years. It's part of my journey... I also appreciate the approach taken by many of the brand owners, so it's with great satisfaction and pleasure that I join this group, which shares my convictions. The brand is a commitment, a recognition of the quality of our services, a visibility of our know-how... and a source of pride for my father.

1. The Institution de GEstion Sociale des Armées has 41 centers in mainland France and overseas departments.