PAYSAGES NATURELS SUPPORTS DE PRATIQUES SPORTIVES : UNE ANALYSE Á PARTIR DE TROIS ESPACES À DAKAR (SÉNÉGAL)

Abstract

This reflection focuses on the landscape/sport binomial. Although this issue has been little documented in Senegal, it has been widely studied in other parts of the world. The contemporary practice of sport in a city like Dakar is obviously subject to the
smallness of public spaces. The landscapes sought by urban athletes are therefore those that are generally open with some natural content. Three sites located in the agglomeration of Dakar were selected for this study. These were the Corniche Ouest de Dakar, the Hann Forest and Zoological Park, and Grande Niaye de Pikine (Technopôle). The analysis combined elements of field observation and surveys of people practicing a popular sport. One hundred and fifty people (150) were interviewed about their relationship to landscapes in the practice of sport. This is necessary to appreciate the influence of landscapes in the use of these sites and the type of sport.
The study showed that landscape elements such as the beach, the sea breeze, the presence of vegetation constitute the main reason for visiting these areas. A proportion of 78% of the people surveyed consider that sports contribute to the enhancement of the natural landscape. At the same time, some people think that the installations give more assets for an optimal frequentation of the athletes