Cookie Policy

1. What cookies are

A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website you visit. It typically holds a short identifier that lets the site recognise your browser on later visits or on later pages within a session. Some cookies are set by the site itself (first-party); others are set by third-party services embedded in the page (third-party). The same idea covers similar technologies — local storage, session storage, browser fingerprinting, tracking pixels — which we treat together with cookies for the purposes of this policy.

This page explains the cookie categories used on Gironde.org, the third-party services involved, and the choices available to you. It complements our broader Privacy Policy.

2. Categories of cookies we use

2.1 Strictly necessary

These cookies are essential to the basic operation of the Site — for example, to keep your navigation state consistent within a session and to support security measures against abusive traffic. They cannot be disabled through a consent banner because the Site cannot function without them. They do not track you for advertising purposes.

2.2 Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 to understand which pages readers find useful, where they come from, and how the Site performs across devices. The data is processed at an aggregated level — page views, sessions, traffic sources, country-level location — with IP-address anonymisation enabled. Where required by law, analytics cookies are loaded only after you give consent; in jurisdictions where they fall under legitimate interest with an opt-out, you can decline them via the controls listed below.

2.3 Advertising (Google AdSense)

Gironde.org displays advertising delivered through Google AdSense. AdSense and its partners use cookies and similar identifiers to:

• Show ads and limit how many times you see the same one (frequency capping);
• Detect invalid clicks and protect against ad fraud;
• Measure ad performance for advertisers and publishers;
• Where you have not opted out, personalise ads based on your interests, inferred from your activity across sites in Google's ad network.

Cookies in this category are typically set under the doubleclick.net, googleadservices.com, and google.com domains. Common identifiers include IDE, NID, __Secure-3PAPISID, and the _gads / _gpi first-party cookies set by AdSense. The full list and lifetimes are maintained by Google and can be reviewed on the Google cookies and similar technologies page.

2.4 Functional / third-party embeds

Some pages load resources from third parties whose servers may set cookies or read existing identifiers when the resource is requested:

• Google Fonts — typography. Loading the font files reveals the requesting IP address to Google's servers but does not set tracking cookies on our domain.
• Leaflet + OpenStreetMap — interactive map tiles on the home page. Tile requests reach OpenStreetMap servers operated by the OpenStreetMap Foundation; their tile-usage policy applies.
• Unsplash — photographs are served from images.unsplash.com. Loading an image reveals the requesting IP address to Unsplash's CDN.

3. Quick reference

Provider	Purpose	Category	Typical retention
Gironde.org (first-party)	Session continuity, basic security	Strictly necessary	Session
Google Analytics 4	Aggregated traffic measurement, IP anonymised	Analytics	Up to 14 months (configurable)
Google AdSense / DoubleClick	Ad delivery, frequency capping, fraud protection, ad personalisation (where consented)	Advertising	Up to 13 months (varies by cookie; see Google's documentation)
Google Fonts	Web-font delivery	Functional	No persistent cookies on this domain
OpenStreetMap (Leaflet tiles)	Interactive map rendering	Functional	No persistent cookies on this domain

4. How to control cookies and opt out

4.1 Browser-level controls

All major browsers let you view, delete, and block cookies. The exact path differs by browser but is usually under Settings → Privacy or Preferences → Privacy & Security. You can typically:

• Block all cookies, or block only third-party cookies;
• Delete existing cookies for any specific site;
• Configure the browser to wipe cookies when you close it;
• Enable Do Not Track or Global Privacy Control signals.

Blocking strictly necessary cookies may break some Site features. Blocking analytics or advertising cookies will not break the Site.

4.2 Opting out of ad personalisation (Google)

You can manage how ads are personalised across Google services and partner sites — including AdSense — at any time:

• Google Ad Settings: adssettings.google.com — turn off personalised advertising globally for your Google account or for the current browser.
• How Google uses information from sites that use its services: policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.
• Google ad policy and AdSense disclosures: see Google's advertising policies.

4.3 Industry opt-out tools

The advertising industry runs centralised opt-out tools that cover many ad networks at once. They set an opt-out cookie in your browser, so you'll need to renew the choice if you clear cookies or switch browser:

• YourOnlineChoices (Europe): youronlinechoices.com.
• Network Advertising Initiative (US): optout.networkadvertising.org.
• Digital Advertising Alliance (US): optout.aboutads.info.

4.4 Opting out of Google Analytics

Google publishes a browser add-on that prevents your visits being included in Google Analytics measurement: tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

4.5 If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom

For users in the EEA, the UK, and Switzerland, Google AdSense operates under Google's consent management framework, which presents a consent dialog before non-essential ad and measurement cookies are set. If your consent choices change, clear the AdSense consent state via the dialog or your browser cookies, and the consent prompt will reappear on your next visit.

5. Children

Gironde.org is a general-interest informational site and is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly serve personalised advertising to children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a cookie has been set on a child's device that should not have been, please contact [email protected].

6. Changes to this Cookie Policy

We may update this policy when our use of cookies changes — for example, if we add or remove an analytics or advertising provider, or in response to legal or technical developments. The "Last reviewed" date at the top of the page indicates when the most recent version took effect. Substantive changes are also reflected in our Privacy Policy.

7. Contact