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Normandy: tourists return the precious pebbles from the pages of Étretat
The figure is staggering. Every day, 400 kilos of pebbles from the famous seaside resort of Étretat (Seine-Maritime) are stolen by tourists. The figure is colossal and alarming. Fortunately, sometimes some tourists have qualms. This is the case of a tourist who returned her loot of pebbles 15 years after having collected them.
(France 2)
The figure is staggering. Every day, 400 kilos of pebbles from the famous seaside resort of Étretat (Seine-Maritime) are stolen by tourists. The figure is colossal and alarming. Fortunately, sometimes some tourists have qualms. This is the case of a tourist who returned her loot of pebbles 15 years after having collected them.
To immortalize the breathtaking landscape of the cliffs of Étretat (Seine-Maritime), some tourists do not hesitate to take pebbles with them every year. Essential to combat erosion, pebbles are stolen by the hundreds of kilos every day. Some time ago, remorseful tourists sent an unusual package to an association in Étretat: four pebbles. “A letter accompanied the pebbles. We were very touched. We found it very funny too. I hope there will be more.”rejoices a member of the association.
Every year, more than a million visitors come to admire the cliffs of Étretat. Between tourism and environmental protection, residents want to find a balance by being educational, in particular by raising tourists’ awareness of the importance of pebbles in the ecosystem. Furthermore, collecting pebbles from the beaches of Étretat is punishable by a fine of 1,500 euros.
Watch the entire reporting in the video above