Beaches in France are public by law, so why are there so many private ones?

"The law in France states beaches belong to the public, yet on many parts of the coast, especially the French Riviera, much of the pristine sand has been privatised. Over half of the beaches in Italy (and often all the best ones) are private and you have to pay to get on them, and there are so many private beaches in Greece now that a ' beach towel revolt' kicked off in Paros in 2023. In France however, things are different. Essentially it isn't possible to own a coastal beach here."

"Listen to the team at The Local discuss the situation on French beaches on the Talking France podcast - download here or listen on the link below As set out in the Loi Litteral of 1986 and reinforced by a Décret in 2006, they are all publicly accessible. "The "coastal" law of January 24, 1986 stipulates that access to beaches is generally free and open, as the beaches are mostly the property of the public domain," reads the government's website."

Beaches in France belong to the public and access is generally free under the Loi Littoral of January 24, 1986 and a 2006 decree. The law treats most coastal beaches as part of the public domain and requires open access. Local practices allow concessions that create private sections with mairie agreement, producing private beaches or rented deckchair areas on otherwise public sand. A mandatory unencumbered strip of approximately three to five metres at the water's edge must be preserved for public use. Despite legal protections, popular coasts such as the French Riviera and resorts like La Baule feature many privatized sections, and local authorities contest further commercial encroachment.

Read at The Local France