a floating private beach denounced as “an ecological aberration”

The huge platform is moored at the quay of the Seyne-sur-Mer shipyard. Visible from afar, it attracts the curious like Walter, who came to see “apparent luxury, at least from afar”. Impressive, he admits, at the sight of what he distinguishes from this floating private beach, Canua Island, arriving Monday, May 22 from the Italian port of La Spezia. “Absolutely, yes! With a big sail on top, palm trees in front. It’s really very pretty, indeed.” He describes what he sees. “There are people who are busy on it… There is not too much visibility here, but hey, despite everything, we can see that it’s a mass.”

Impossible to distinguish from the mainland the freshwater swimming pool, the bar-lounge or the restaurant of this artificial island, a platform of 1,750 m2 placed on a motorized trimaran. Canua Island could accommodate up to 350 people and divides walkers. “There are lots of things that are done and it doesn’t bother me. I don’t see how it bothers!”, slip one. “If they recover their waste, if there is no waste water going into the sea, well… There is something for everyone”, chain the other. Walter has a more decided opinion. “It is absurd. Have round-trip shuttles to transport customers, heat water with systems for a swimming pool, at sea? No, that’s ridiculous.” Same misunderstanding for this woman: “I think it goes against everything that should be put in place at the moment. Go and put a nightclub on the water, there may be other things to do. Frankly, I don’t understand what the stakes really are.”

Concerns for the marine ecosystem

Employment is one of the arguments supported by the town hall of Mandelieu-la-Napoule. Canua Island should come and drop anchor off this town whose mayor has not responded to our requests. Other elected officials and, above all, the Syllau association denounce the risks of harm to the environment. The association’s lawyer, Eric Lanzarone, warns: “We will attack before the administrative court in summary proceedings each authorization to anchor which will be issued by the maritime prefecture. We cannot at the same time boast of the ecological transition and admit a ship which will combine a discotheque, a swimming pool, a restaurant, incessant shuttles Such a ship will necessarily damage the seabed, and in particular the Posidonia seagrass which we forget to say is a real nursery for the marine ecosystem.”

Against this project partly funded by the South region and the Public Investment Bank, a petition has been launched. She had gathered nearly 14,000 signatures on Wednesday.