Despite the signing this Friday, January 24, of the decree prohibiting the reception of cruises in the ports of the Metropolis Nice Côte d'Azur, the subject remains burning. Many questions remain unanswered, such as the future of the port of Villefranche-sur-Mer, but also on the potential remedies that could emerge.
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After the surprise announcement of the start of the week, Christian Estrosi already makes his intention to ban cruising ships in the ports of the Nice Côte d'Azur metropolitan area. This Friday, January 24, on the occasion of a press conference, the mayor of Nice signed in public a metropolitan decree aimed at putting an end to the boarding and landing of the passengers of these “floating buildings“As of July 1, 2025.
► Read also: “Historical victory”, “exaggerated decision”: the decision to ban cruise ships in Nice divides, but can it really succeed?
Through this measure, which has already reacted a lot since his announcement, Christian Estrosi has expressed his desire to fight against pollution, but also to limit “Low-Cost surcontarism“. And despite the limited power of town halls in the matter, often pointed out by the town hall of Cannes in particular, he believes that with this decree,”Whoever organizes cruises will no longer have an interest in coming“.
► Read also: Should we expand the mayor's powers at sea to ban large cruise ships?
The metropolitan decree will only impact Villefranche-sur-Mer
One of the information to remember from the signing of this treaty, of course is that of the maximum number of passengers authorized by ship, if the decree enters well in application on July 1. This CAP is therefore fixed at 900 passengers per ship. A threshold that ultimately excludes the port of Nice, since it no longer welcomes as large cruise ships. Christian Estrosi recognized withHere azure that he “think that there is no unit of 900 passengers who can dock in the port of Nice“.
The port of Villefranche-sur-Mer may be very impacted by the metropolitan decree on cruises, losing up to 90% of its activity.
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© Emmanuel Felix / France Télévisions
The decree, on the other hand, concerns the harbor of Villefranche-sur-Mer much more, and its sea station, which belongs to the Metropolis Nice Côte d'Azur. According to information from France 3 Côte d´Azur, if the treaty is applied this summer, the port of the municipality will display a loss of annual turnover of 1.5 million euros, or almost 90% of its activity. Faced with this situation, the Maritime Union 06 calls for one “constructive dialogue“As soon as possible with the metropolis.
“Very Trumpian communication”
The announcement, then the signing of this decree, in less than a week, continue to be talked about, and have relaunched various debates. If elected environmentalists had praised a “historic victory“At the start of the week, Robert Injey, former leader of the French Communist Party of the Alpes-Maritimes and member of the left movement” Viva! “, Consulas that we cannot”What to wonder about this sudden announcement“. He underlines this Saturday in a press release”very Trumpian communication“The signing of this decree, referring to the hundred decrees signed in public by the new American president at the start of the week.
According to him, this decree allows Christian Estrosi to “Undoubtedly try to open a counter-fire on another file, where the mayor of Nice is in difficulty. That of the extension of the airport, with its 7 million additional passengers and its 38,000 private flights, in the carbon footprint, by passenger transported, catastrophic“, Note the activist, who calls the president of the metropolis to”a little consistency“In its fight against pollution.
Possible recourse?
However, the cruises of cruises in Nice is only in its infancy: by date on the scheduled date of application of the decree, on July 1, it may be the subject of numerous appeals. Because the dissatisfied there are still many, even if its effect would be limited to the harbor of Villefranche-sur-Mer.
First there are tourism players, on the front line: Atanas Bozev, Responsable operations and maritime agent at the port of Nice, estimates with France 3 that we “move the problem“, and that”The ports of Toulon and Imperia will benefit“.
Cruise companies, first targeted, are also likely to make their voices heard in the coming weeks. Like the mayor of Villefranche, Christophe Trojani, who had obviously not been informed by the town hall and the metropolis of Nice or the announcement of Christian Estrosi, nor the signing of the decree at the end of the weekend.
A cruise liner in the Baie des Anges.
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© Aline Métais FTV
This Saturday, with our colleagues from Nice-Matin, the first councilor of the town declared with irony that “The mayor of Villefranche has still not exchanged with the president of the metropolis to this subjectT “. He claims to think about bringing cruise passengers to other platforms outside the sea station, quays”which belong to the Departmental Council“, and not to the metropolis. While insisting on the fact that once the decree in hand,”If there is a weapon to defend yourself, we will use it“. Arms passes between the two elected officials may in any case multiply.
