They were expected. The aid stations are (finally) open for some of them. In Palavas-les-Flots and Carnon, four out of thirteen took service on the occasion of the Ascension Bridge. They will now be open every weekend from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., then every day from July 1. A reassuring pre-season opening. Especially after the three drownings recorded in the last 15 days in the Golf du Lion.
“At the slightest problem they are there”
As soon as she arrived on the beach, Françoise noticed the presence of lifeguards in orange t-shirts: “It’s reassuring when you come, like me, with the grandchildren. We watch them of course, but we are not the only ones to be attentive. And then we feel safe. At the slightest problem – a crab, a bite, a sore – they are there.”
According to this Montpellier resident, this opening should even take place earlier in the year: “I was already there last week, it was hot but swimming was prohibited because of the swell. Yet people went into the water when _it was dangerous and there were no lifeguards_.” She would therefore like “The lifeguard stations open as soon as the weather is good because we know that people are bound to come to the beach and be tempted to swim.”
This openness to the card is impossible according to Laurent Sagnimorte, the head of the rescuers at sea of Palavas: “First you need a mayor’s order. And second, it’s expensive for communities if we include the equipment, the salary of the 18 lifeguards necessary to hold 6 positions simultaneously, etc. At the end of the day, these are local taxes and therefore a choice to be made.” After 30 summers on the beaches of Hérault, he realizes that he is “justified to put beach surveillance on weekends from mid-May”. In particular on the pivotal periods of the bridges.
Aid stations open
- 2 out of 7 positions at carnon : Downtown (next to the port) and Petit Travers
- 2 out of 6 positions at Palavas les Flots : Right bank (next to the port) and Left bank
- 2 positions out of 2 at Villeneuve-les-Maguelone : From Pentecost weekend
Also note that theThe signage changes this year. The green, orange and red flags remain but other flags appear or change meaning. Among the novelties: an orange wind sleeve (in the shape of a cone) to alert in the event of an onshore wind, and therefore a risk of drifting offshore. All the details can be found on the facade of the aid stations.