Commune near Nice closes its beaches despite heatwave

Saint-Laurent-du-Var, a seaside commune just west of Nice, has suspended swimming across all its beaches after heavy rainfall raised concerns over water quality.

The ban was introduced earlier this week on Tuesday, June 23, and affects all five of the commune’s main beaches. 

The decision follows intense storms in the inland Alpes-Maritimes, which caused rainwater runoff carrying mud, organic matter, and potentially bacteria into the Var River, which empties out into the Mediterranean at Saint-Laurent-du-Var.

Such episodes can temporarily degrade bathing water quality, and for this reason precautionary closures were carried out until laboratory tests have been conducted. 

Water quality analyses are currently underway, with results expected later on Friday, June 26.

If the results confirm that bathing water meets required standards, three of the five beaches could reopen, the town said. 

The remaining two, located close to the wastewater treatment plant, may remain closed.

The closures have frustrated some holidaymakers visiting the area during the peak summer period, especially taking into account the ongoing extreme heatwave that has taken over France. 

“It’s a shame, especially since we come from Paris to swim,” one visitor told TF1.

Some people have defied the ban and gone swimming anyway, as high temperatures continue to affect the Côte d’Azur.

A recurring pattern of closures

This is not the first time Saint-Laurent-du-Var has implemented such measures.

Municipal decrees dated from earlier this month show that several beaches were already subject to preventive closures following heavy rainfall and concerns over potential wastewater overflow.

Among the affected beaches were Les Flots Bleus, Les Goélands, and Les Vespins. 

For now, residents and visitors are being asked to respect the bans and avoid swimming until official updates are published.