WE HAVE TESTED FOR YOU… La Bouscarasse aquatic center

Every Saturday morning, Gard objective takes you to the four corners of the Gard to discover emblematic or, on the contrary, little-known activities. But always original and authentic. We take you today to cool. Head to the Bouscarasse family water park in Serviers-et-Labaume, near Uzès.

We park the car in the shade of a tree. The heat wave is still raging in the department this Thursday. In search of a little freshness, your two journalists, Marie and Laure, have chosen to go to Bouscarasse. The aquatic center is in its 26th season this summer. No slides, no waves or any attraction that could present any risk in this place which cultivates the air of a small haven of peace in the heart of greenery. “We have a family clientele to whom we want to offer a calm, quiet place where you can leave your belongings without fear at the edge of the pool.“, assures Philippe Viala, the manager. Up to 40,000 visitors come to this aquatic center each summer.

After two years tarnished by covid-19, attendance is back on a good dynamic this summer. “On July 14, 1,150 people were registered“, rejoices the manager. Due to the high temperatures, tourists and residents of the Gard are looking for a peaceful place to dip. However, the 25-hectare site could have been totally different. “La Bouscarasse was imagined by our dad, Guy Viala. At the time, he was working as a sound and lighting technician in nightclubs. A supplier had invited him to Florida to visit the first Disney park. He was captivated and wanted to do the same here, in the Gard“, recounts his son, Serge Viala.

Eventually, the founder will turn to a water park more than a theme park. Four years of “perilous construction site” were necessary, taking care not to cut any trees but to articulate the park around the forest. “The recipe took away“, assures the current manager. Since 1996, the spirit of the place has not changed but the success has grown.

Very good water quality thanks to a unique and efficient filtration system

The water in the pools is at 27°C today. At 10 a.m., the park barely opens its doors and the calm is appreciable. Once our bathing suits are on, we go directly to the river with buoys, not yet taken by storm. It is surely the space that meets with the greatest success at La Bouscarasse: “Young people can spend their afternoon in it“, Serge Viala says with a smile. With Laure, we recover our big buoy before sitting in its center and rushing over the water. At the first acceleration of water, my pelvis hits the step. Ouch I straighten up for the following passages. I have a little trouble progressing on the water between the rapid descents. A man gently pushes my buoy which causes a nice wave splashing the young woman in front of me. I arrive until at the whirlpool at the bottom. It bears its name well, I do at least twenty turns on myself on arrival. But the whole attraction remains very gentle and reassuring.

When I go back up, I realize that the queue for the river of buoys has already doubled. With Laure, we then do a few breaststrokes in the large main pool. At the deepest, we are at 1.70m. The little ones have fun in the two large paddling pools. We get out of the water and decide to order a cold drink at the bar, in the shade of the trees. The park is starting to fill up and a smell coming from the snack bar makes us hungry. In total, 27 people work all summer long to serve visitors, whether to watch over the pools, behind the stoves or at reception.

Jean-Luc Viala, Philippe’s brother, also pays great attention to water quality. “She is always good with us. The ARS (Regional Health Agency) carries out checks several times a month. They like us because we are always in the nails“, he says. It must be said that the water park is equipped with a unique filtration system, invented by their dad. It is filled with 25 tons of sand, when traditional pools have only two tons. . “It works with gravity. The pumps do not put pressure and this increases the quality of the filtration“, says Jean-Luc Viala. The system manages to filter 360m3/h of water: “This means that in 2h30, all the water on the site is recycled. ” We can take a dip with peace of mind.

Marie Meunier with Laure Leflamand

The La Bouscarasse water park is open 7 days a week until August 31. Open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. Information and prices available on the website by clicking here. You can also call 04 66 22 50 25.

Mary Meunier