More than 5,000 young people from the Paris region went to Deauville for the day of the “forgotten of the holidays”. For some, it was their first holiday at the seaside.
Published
Reading time: 2 min
:quality(50)/2024/08/21/pro-2hnw40oj-66c620713b5a6208157120.jpeg)
More than 5,000 children from all over the Île-de-France region enjoyed the beach at Deauville in Normandy on Wednesday, August 21. The Secours populaire organized the 45the edition of “The day of the forgotten of the holidays”. The goal: to allow those who do not have the means to leave to still enjoy the summer. And the mission is accomplished. As soon as they arrive and settle down on the beach of Deauville, the children put on their swimsuits. It is difficult for them to wait any longer after almost three hours of bus travel from the Paris region.
Nalia, who came from Yvelines, is ready to go into the water, she who has never been to the sea. The 8-year-old girl has already planned her program for the day. “I’m going to swim and sunbathe.” “Games of sandcastles”, “play with the water gun”, other small ones are bidding.
A few meters further, it is Priscilla, 12 years old, who is happy to be on the beach. “I’m going to see the water, the beach, the sand, the sun. That’s it. Breathe a little.” A day that the young girl has been waiting for all summer since her apartment in Nanterre. She was unable to go on vacation with her family and time seemed a little long to her.
“Usually I lie down at home, watch TV, sleep, eat.”
Priscilla, 12 years oldto franceinfo
And for those who are not tempted by swimming, it must be admitted that the water is quite cool, not even 20 degrees, there are also many games that are organized on the beach. Books are also offered.
Parents who were able to accompany their children also benefit from it, like Assia who came with her two daughters from Villeparisis in Seine-et-Marne. Impossible for the young woman to offer her children a vacation, so she enjoys it, on the beach of Deauville. “We’ve been waiting for this for two months. It’s my first outing of the summer. It’s nice.” For once, her granddaughters will be able to say that they too went to the seaside, an important element for this young mother.
These 5,000 people from the Paris region arrived in the morning from all over the Paris region, from Hauts-de-Seine, but also from Seine-Saint-Denis and Yvelines. In total, 99 buses transported them.
:quality(50)/2024/08/21/pro-mnxyuzu1-66c624154c854760558621.jpeg)
“We have fun with them”, “the kids are great”, assure these two volunteers in charge of surveillance in the water. Indeed, the goal of this day is simple for Dominique, one of the 1,500 volunteers mobilized.
“It makes them so happy that it also makes us feel valued in our commitment.”
Dominique, volunteer for Secours Populaireto franceinfo
“This allows us to take children who have not had the chance to go on holiday, as is often the case. It gives them at least one day of holiday at the seaside. We are very happy to take them, it makes us very happy too.”
But this action is not the only one organized this summer in France, 50,000 children have been able to benefit from at least one day of vacation over the last two months, thanks to Secours populaire.