The latest map of water quality at French beaches published by environmental group Eau et Rivières de Bretagne shows more than one in five are classed as either “discouraged” or “avoid”.
The 2026 edition of La Belle Plage released on May 12, analyses 1,871 monitored beaches using four years of official water-testing data collected by regional health agencies (ARS).
The rankings are based on tests carried out by the regional health authorities during the summer bathing season, usually between June and September. Water samples are analysed for two bacteria linked to faecal contamination: Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci.
High concentrations can increase the risk of illnesses including gastroenteritis, ear infections and conjunctivitis, particularly among children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems.
Eau et Rivières de Bretagne says it developed the La Belle Plage system after noticing discrepancies between official ratings and repeated beach closures after heavy rainfall.
“We had beaches classified as excellent that were closed six times in one summer,” vice-president Christophe Le Visage told journalists. He said preventive closures before storms sometimes meant poor-quality samples were never officially recorded.
Unlike the EU system, which uses a statistical calculation over several years, the association assigns scores based on the proportion of samples considered safe under thresholds set by the national health agency Anses.
The group says this produces a classification that is easier for the public to understand and more closely linked to actual bathing risk.
It also allows for some discrepancy with the official EU Bathing Waters Directive - due to their average rating over several years.
For instance, the Prado beaches in Marseille - are classed as “avoid” by La Belle Plage despite their EU rankings, remaining ‘good’ and ‘excellent.
Likewise, Saint-Malo beaches in Brittany - have been criticised by Eau et Rivières for remaining officially well-rated despite repeated temporary closures after rain.
Sewage and pig farm runoff
The association said there was no major change nationally compared with last year, though results continue to fluctuate depending on weather conditions.
Heavy rainfall remains one of the main causes of poor bathing water quality, as overloaded sewage systems discharge polluted water into rivers and coastal areas.
Agricultural runoff is also a significant factor in some regions close to intensive livestock farming- as can be seen in parts of Brittany.
“A pig produces 30 times more bacteria than a human,” Mr Le Visage said, referring to slurry spread on fields that can be washed into waterways during storms.
The findings come days after Minister Delegate for the Sea and Fisheries Catherine Chabaud announced a new coastal water protection roadmap, including tighter controls on agricultural spreading near bathing zones and investment in wastewater infrastructure.
The map from La Belle Plage has already prompted some local authorities to carry out upgrades, the association says.
Saint-Malo, where some bathing sites remain classified as “avoid”, has undertaken sewage network improvements following discussions with campaigners.
