The stops of large cruise ships off Nice prohibited by a decree signed by Christian Estrosi

The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi (Horizons), signed, on Friday, January 24, a decree aimed at banning the stops of large cruise ships in the waters of his metropolis, in a desire to favor a “Tourism chosen” Faced with the threat of “Overcotal”.

Ships of less than 900 passengers, generally much more luxurious, remain welcome in the port of Nice, where arrangements are underway to better accommodate them, with in particular electrification which should make it possible to force them to stop their engine During the stopover. Some 124 stops of these ships with a capacity ranging from 32 to 700 passengers are scheduled for 2025. On the other hand, ships with a capacity greater than 900 passengers, who are currently wet in the neighboring harbor of Villefranche-sur-Mer, will be more welcome.

Mr. Estrosi does not have the powers of prohibiting their presence, but the decree he signed as president of the Metropolis Nice Côte d'Azur-which encompasses the municipalities of the Rade de Villefranche-sur-Mer – prohibits them from landing passengers in excursion and therefore strongly limits the interest of stopovers for companies.

“A huge victory”, for elected environmentalists

According to the port site, nearly 90 stops are planned in the harbor in 2025, including two thirds of ships over 900 passengers. And “There is demand for 300,000 passengers by 2026”against 160,000 in 2024, assured the mayor. “Plaisance, yes, floating buildings, no”he summed up.

“It's a huge victory”have reacted elected environmentalists who have been demanding measures for years. Even if the decree may be the subject of appeal on the part of the companies or certain mayors of the metropolis, it is “One foot in the door” et “A decisive turning point for quality of life, public health and the protection of our marine ecosystems”.

Relations between cruise ships and town halls are complicated on the French Riviera. Thus in Cannes, who sees more than 400,000 passengers a year, the mayor, David Lisnard (Les Républicains), also president of the Association of Mayors of France, regularly criticizes the presence of the wet seays off the coast of the Croisette and the helplessness of mayors beyond a strip of 300 meters.

In 2019, he imposed an environmental charter on companies under penalty of blocking passenger excursions. He now claims the possibility for the mayors of coastal communes to be able to regulate traffic on an extended maritime field and to create an environmental police likely to sanction any infringement of liners.