The mayor of Deauville attacks the classification which pinning the beaches

Nine beaches, nine warnings. The 2025 ranking published by the Eau & Rivières de Bretagne association makes teeth cringe on the flower coast. For the second consecutive year, all the beaches in the Community of Côte Fleurie Côte Fleurie are deemed “not recommended for swimming”, on the basis of public data.

Only two beaches of the coast escape this cleaver: Honfleur and the Home Varaville, classified “not very risky”. A distinction far too thin to calm Philippe Augier. The president of the community fulminates:

The association comes to annoy us by saying that our beaches are to be avoided. It’s unbearable. Our security methods are as clean as those of Brittany. “”

A disturbing militant classification

Behind this list, an assumed will to shake up habits. Eau & Rivers alerts on the regular presence of bacteria in one in five beach in France, and criticizes a surveillance system deemed too lax:

“The control calendar leaves the authorities blind for whole months”, denounce the authors.

The association does not stop there: analyzes out of season, petition for a parliamentary investigation, awareness tour this summer, informative sheets for each beach on the site Labelleplage.fr … a real attack plan to mobilize citizens and elected officials.

The response is organized on the flowery coast

This communication campaign does not go unnoticed. Locally, it arouses annoyance, even exasperation. The mayor of Deauville intends to make his voice heard:

We will write a letter to the association.

Because behind the debate on water quality, it is also the question of the image and the tourist season that is played out. A few weeks before the first sea baths, the case could clearly splash more than expected.

Why such different results?

• The gap between official analyzes and those relayed by water & rivers of Brittany is explained by several factors:
• Deposit periods: Public controls are concentrated in summer, often in dry weather. The association also performs analyzes out of season or after the rain, when the risks are increased.
• Location of measurements: Official points can be removed from the most sensitive areas (outlets, mouths).
• Classification method: the State establishes an average over several years. The association highlights the punctual pollution peaks.
• Signage: water & rivers criticizes the lack of local display in the event of swimming temporarily not recommended.
• Communication: the public authorities remain cautious. The association adopts a more militant tone to provoke the debate.

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