Controversial floating beach opens on the French Riviera May 17, 2024
- Ana Cunha-Busch
- May 16, 2024
- 2 min read
By AFP - Agence France Presse
Controversial floating beach opens on the French Riviera
A controversial private floating beach moored on the French Riviera has gone into operation despite opposition from local politicians and environmental groups, its supporters said on Friday.
“Canua Island”, a 1,750-square-meter motorized platform with a restaurant, lounge bar, and freshwater swimming pool, was inaugurated on Thursday evening in Mandelieu-La Napoule, on the Cote d'Azur in southeastern France.
The luxurious two-story platform mounted on a trimaran and anchored 600 meters from the seafront can accommodate up to 350 people.
Opponents of the 16 million euro project have denounced it as “an ecological aberration”.
Environmental groups have long fought to increase the protection of marine life and the coastline of the highly developed Cote d'Azur, long considered a playground for the rich and famous.
The owners were denied permission to operate last year, but took their case to court and obtained a permit to launch the project.
The project had the initial support of just one local commune, Mandelieu-La Napoule, but was opposed by the head of the wider Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region, Renaud Muselier, a member of President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party.
On Friday, around 20 mayors, including those of Nice and Toulon, signed a letter denouncing “this commercial exploitation of the marine environment”.
However, the owners emphasize that the project is safe, with the engines running on biofuel, a desalination system producing fresh water, and all waste being recycled on land.
Due to the controversy, the floating beach will not be open to the public this season.
Located in La Seyne-sur-Mer, near Toulon, it will be available for private events, such as weddings on the Cote d'Azur. The owners have already received around 30 booking requests.
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