A gendarme's routine patrol took an unusual turn when the officer spotted a sunseeker on the beach.
The lockdown-breaker was lying on a towel under an umbrella in the middle of an otherwise deserted beach in the Hérault resort of Carnon at the weekend.
With beaches currently closed due to coronavirus, the officer approached the sunbather, intending to move them on with a warning and, perhaps, a fine. But not everything was as it seemed.
Insolite : Ce matin les gendarmes ont voulu verbaliser une femme se tenant sur la plage de #Carnon (#Hérault). Ils ont ensuite réalisé qu'il s'agissait d'une poupée gonflable. C'était en fait une blague réalisée par un habitant. (Info Gard) #COVID19 #ConfinementJour48 pic.twitter.com/eeLTrbxIfX
— Conflits (@Conflits_FR) May 3, 2020
It turned out the beach bum was, in fact, a blow-up doll, left on the beach as a practical joke. Fortunately, the officer - and his colleagues - were able to see the funny side. A good job, too, as the incident was caught on camera, and posted on social media.
En surveillance des plages , les gendarmes ♂️ ont porté secours à une poupée abandonnée par son propriétaire. #RépondrePrésent #TousMobilisés https://t.co/jmm8JcEHiN pic.twitter.com/4iYU8d0Aw1
— Gendarmerie de l'Hérault (@Gendarmerie_34) May 3, 2020
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France