They had been deprived of waves for two months due to the Covid-19 crisis ... In Cannes, in the south of France, young surfers took advantage of the first day of deconfinement, on May 11, to get back to the water. Problem: nautical beach activities remain prohibited throughout the territory.

"We surfed for two or three hours and then there were gendarmes who arrived and brought us out of the water. But we didn't wait long before going back into the water ..." jokes one of the fearless surfers. "Since it is illegal to surf, we are still careful," reports another who wants to avoid paying the fine of 135 euros imposed on anyone caught doing a dip ... or just tanning on the sand.

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Since the announcement of the deconfinement plan by Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, the reopening of beaches has been the subject of debate in France. Fearing an influx of visitors to the coast, the government had planned to extend their closure until June. A decision which had then caused the incomprehension of the local elected officials. "We will be able to go shopping on the Champs-Élysées, or rue Sainte-Catherine in Bordeaux. But on hundreds of kilometers of sandy beaches, we do not trust elected officials, we despise them once again and we do not give them the opportunity to demonstrate that we are capable of being able to organize this ", protested, on May 4, Laurent Peyrondet, mayor of Lacanau, in the Southwest.

"Dynamic beaches"

Faced with the outcry of the city councilors, the government indicated that the reopening of the beaches would be done on a case by case basis. Mayors concerned with making the coast accessible to the public must request it from the prefects, who will then have to decide. Aware of the health risks that large gatherings could cause, even in the open, city officials and associations advocate for the establishment of "dynamic beaches", that is to say beaches where only sporting activities will be authorized . Picnics and tanning sessions on the sand will therefore be prohibited.

>> To read: "Deconfinement in France: sport will resume under conditions"

Pending the prefectural decisions, the sports authorities insist on the urgency of the situation. "Surfing is also a whole bunch of small businesses, but which can have up to 5-6 employees and seasonal workers, they are part of the coastal economy. There are people who choose their destination to come So surfing all of this is a fragile economy, and all of this will be in jeopardy if we start the season at the end of June, "said Jean-Luc Arassus, president of the French Surf Federation (FFS) interviewed by AFP.

The FFS has 80,000 licensees and estimates the number of practitioners at 700,000. Many of them hope to be able to take the plunge this weekend. Even if it means defying any prohibitions ... "I can't tell you that we will manage to calm down, discipline, contain everyone's desire and passion. I hope it will go well", wants to believe Jean-Luc Arassus.

With AFP and Reuters

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