In brief
- A group of six residents aged 87 to 103 from the La Nivéole care home in Ugine set off for Gruissan.
- For several seniors, including 103-year-old Zoé, this stay in Occitanie represents their very first encounter with the sea.
- The €7,500 project was brought to fruition thanks to strong local and institutional support.
On Monday 7 September 2026, six residents from La Nivéole care home, a residential care facility for dependent elderly people located in Ugine, in the heart of Savoie, set off for Gruissan, a seaside resort in the Aude department, located south-east of Narbonne. This journey of several hundred kilometres through the Rhône Valley and Mediterranean landscapes represents an exceptional event for these senior citizens. Among these alpine travellers is 103-year-old Zoé, who is preparing to discover the Languedoc coastline for the very first time in her long life. For these women accustomed to the rugged terrain of the Alps, this getaway to the Mediterranean Sea represents far more than a simple holiday stay. It is a genuine opening onto a new horizon, demonstrating that life projects and discovery remain possible regardless of age or physical decline.
A desire for escape born in the heart of the Alps
A desire for escape born in the Alps
The origins of this seaside getaway lie in a wonderful human bond forged daily within the Savoyard care home, situated at the foot of the Alpine mountain ranges. Community life within a residential facility can sometimes prove monotonous, paced by unyielding routines and regular activities. The long Savoyard winter months often impose a natural confinement that heightens the feeling of geographical isolation. It is from this environment, as soon as the warm weather arrives, that the desire for escape and discovery becomes more pressing among the residents of La Nivéole. The initiative for this seaside trip was thus born from the attentive ear of the care home’s activity team, who captured the strength of these aspirations and rallied the entire community of the establishment to turn a simple dream into tangible reality.
Simone, aged 87 and a resident of the care home for two decades, regularly expressed a wish to go on holiday when she saw the care staff heading off during the summer period. Having lived in the establishment for twenty years, she shared her travel desires with humour and sincerity during regular chats with the staff. Her friendly remarks about the carers’ summer holidays served as the catalyst. The activity team then decided to take on this logistical and human challenge, proving that age should not be an obstacle to plans of escape. The attentiveness and professionalism of the staff at the Ugine care home thus paved the way for this coastal retreat on the Mediterranean coast, offering a practical response to the desire for freedom expressed by the residents.
A long-awaited Mediterranean interlude
For these six ladies aged between 87 and 103, anticipation was accompanied by carefully orchestrated preparations over the weeks. The tangible excitement in the corridors of the care home manifested in the meticulous packing of suitcases, a highly symbolic moment for residents preparing to leave their daily routine behind. Jeannette packed a dressy outfit to make the most of the evenings organised by the Gruissan campsite, showing a firm intention to live every moment of this seaside break with elegance and joie de vivre. This choice of clothing demonstrates her desire to embrace summer life and step away, if only for a short stay, from the sometimes overly clinical setting of her daily life.
Nicole, seated in her wheelchair, expressed her fundamental need for a change of scenery and a break from the institutional routine. This trip carries a particular emotional resonance for her, as she had not travelled since a memorable trip to Venice with her husband many years ago. This return to a seaside destination is an opportunity to revive precious memories while embarking on a stimulating new adventure. For Nicole, the sea spray of the Mediterranean offers a welcome sensory therapy, allowing her to escape the usual confines of her room and rediscover forgotten physical sensations.
As for Zoé, the remarkable eldest member of the group, her entire life has unfolded on the agricultural lands of Ugine and surrounding villages. Coming from a generation of farmworkers for whom farm life left little time for leisure, she had never had the chance to travel far from her native mountains. While she had once admired the calm waters of Lake Annecy, the sea horizon was completely unknown to her until now. Most of these high-mountain women are thus preparing to touch the sea for the very first time in their lives, an extraordinary experience promising its share of tears of joy and shared smiles.
Collective mobilisation for a community project
Strong local and community support
Organising a holiday for elderly people with reduced autonomy involves significant financial and logistical investment. Setting up such a project requires not only securing accommodation suitable for wheelchairs and daily care needs, but also arranging tailored transport and providing continuous professional supervision. To raise the total budget of €7,500 essential for this adventure, a genuine network of solidarity was formed in Ugine and the surrounding area, demonstrating the dedication of residents and local businesses to the well-being of their elders.
To raise this sum, the residents’ families joined forces with an extensive network of local and institutional supporters who answered the call. The initiative received financial backing from the local authorities of Savoie, which are deeply committed to community social action. The women’s Lions Club of Albertville also made a major contribution, staying true to its commitment to solidarity and support for vulnerable individuals. Local business Martoïa joined the movement, highlighting the regional economy’s backing for this wonderful initiative. Nationally, the Union nationale des centres communaux d’action sociale and the Agence nationale des chèques vacances granted decisive subsidies to ensure the financial viability of the trip. The municipality of Ugine also supported the success of this intergenerational project. This solid funding, combining private initiatives and public grants, bears witness to the power of collective support for the elderly.
A human adventure along the coast
Attentive support throughout the stay
The stay in Gruissan was filled with wonder and a complete change of scenery. This coastal town in Aude, famous for its fine sandy beaches, pink salt marshes and wild lagoons, offers an ideal backdrop for relaxing and stimulating activities. For the residents of La Nivéole, contemplating the vast sea and the rhythmic sound of the waves provided genuine therapeutic benefits. Far from the routine environment of their Savoyard care home, this breath of sea air brought renewed energy and an incomparable feeling of freedom to each resident, illustrating the physical and psychological benefits of access to leisure for senior citizens.
To ensure optimal and completely safe support throughout this holiday week, four dedicated carers, activity coordinators and volunteers accompanied the small group of travellers. This close supervision was essential to guarantee daily care for each resident, manage medication, assist Nicole with mobility and look after the well-being of the eldest, Zoé. From peaceful walks along the sea wall and tasting local specialities over shared meals, to moments of pure contemplation facing the vast Mediterranean Sea, this human adventure will remain etched in the memories of residents and carers alike as a magnificent lesson in life and solidarity.
