900 summer checks, 8 establishments closed for serious breaches

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The summer season is marked by an increase in tourist activities. Visitors flock, events multiply, and establishments linked to tourism are running at full speed. During this period, the departmental directorate for population protection (DDPP) intensifies its control actions to guarantee health safety et compliance of establishments.

Between June and September 2024more than 900 establishments were inspected. A monitoring system which is part of a fraud prevention and consumer protection strategy, while ensuring the quality of the services offered. Accommodation, catering, markets, sports and leisure activities, everything is scrutinized.

Eight administrative closures and formal notices

The results of the DDPP’s inspections are not without consequences. Eight administrative closures were pronounced, including seven for serious failings in food hygiene. An establishment offering inflatable structures also had to close for safety reasons.

The DDPP also issued 53 administrative notices. Among them, 47 concern non-compliance linked to food hygiene. These formal notices require establishments to comply quickly to avoid more severe sanctions. In addition, 33 reports were drawn up, targeting practices deemed deviant, both on a criminal and administrative level. This summer of 2024 saw a significant increase in controls in the catering sector. Thanks to a partnership with the delegatee Apave, a player in risk management and security in numerous sectors of activity, the DDPP was able to double the number of checks in restaurants and on the markets. In total, 467 hygiene checks were carried out, including 388 carried out by the delegatee under supervision of the DDPP.

Inflatable structures and leisure activities under supervision

The safety of leisure activities is also a key point of the DDPP’s action. Inflatable structures, often popular with children, have been subject to strict controls. In the event of a failure to secure them, these installations can represent a serious risk for young children. This summer, a structure was deemed non-compliant and required rapid intervention. Beyond inflatable structures, controls also targeted water vehicle rental companies and equestrian centers. Here again, non-compliance was noted, mainly in terms of monitoring loaned safety equipment, such as life jackets or helmets.

Emblematic places for holidays by the sea, huts are spaces for relaxation and conviviality. However, they are not exempt from vigilance. This summer, more than six control operations were carried out in the main seaside resorts of Hérault, such as Agde or Palavas-les-Flots.

A reinforced presence during major events

Summer events attract large crowds, and with them, increased challenges for the DDPP. High temperatures, the influx of tourists and the proliferation of temporary catering facilities increase health risks. This summer, the DDPP teams were particularly active during the Férias de Béziers and the Saint-Louis festivities in Sète, two highlights of the local calendar. In total, 13 hygiene inspections were carried out on these events, without revealing any major non-compliances. Other tourist markets, such as those of Béziers, Marseillan or La Grande-Motte, were also the subject of targeted controls.

The DDPP does not carry out these operations alone. Controls are often carried out in collaboration with other state services, such as the departmental directorate of territories and the sea (DDTM) or the gendarmerie. These joint actions make it possible to extend the scope of surveillance to various areas and ensure more fluid coordination between the different administrations. In 2024, 31 inspections were carried out in partnership with other services. The objective is to ensure broader coverage of establishments and to guarantee increased vigilance on several levels: hygiene, fraud, security of installations, etc.

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