Trying to get back to normal

The cleanup continues on Nice beaches as plagistes try to salvage their livelihoods after the devastating storm a few days ago. A tour of the Promenade des Anglais this morning revealed furious efforts to remove the debris, sand and stones that blight Nice’s most beloved beach restaurants. The upcoming holiday weekend that typically marks the start of the beach season adds urgency to the situation. Plagistes already suffered from poor weather that delayed the start of their season before the storm swept through.

Florida beach under 20cm of sand

Now, it seems as though only five beach restaurants will be fit to open this weekend: Miami, Blue Beach, le Sporting, le Ruhl and le Galion. For whatever reason, these restaurants seemed to have suffered less damage than the others. Castel, Opera, Hi Beach, le Voilier, Bambou, Neptune and others are still digging out. A newly-announced government grant of €200,000 earmarked for the plagistes should help kickstart the season for them. Let’s hope so.

Castel beach; the work continues

Meanwhile, the Prom’ was an obstacle course of trucks, pumps, municipal vehicules and tools this morning. Adding to the chaos was a huge section of pavement torn-up for drainage repairs, not to mention the scaffolding obscuring the facade of the Negresco that’s undergoing renovation. Neither has to do with the storm but the overall effect is to remind Nicois that the easy days of summer are far away.

Read more about Nice beaches and the storm of 2010.