A beach in a beautiful town in the south of France is set to be transformed by a new development compared to an iconic Californian neighbourhood.
Cagnes-sur-Mer, a French Riviera town near Nice, is currently building a pumptrack for bikes, BMXs, rollerblades and skates by the water.
In a post on X in January, the mayor Louis Negre shared photos of the work underway and said it was set to be completed in the spring and would see 430 metres of tracks built.
He also listed a new cycle path and wide pedestrian promenade as being part of the works.
According to Cagnes-sur-Mer Town Hall the total cost of the project, including tax, is €736,138 (around £619,655).
In a statement, translated from the original French, the municipality said: “Cagnes-sur-Mer boasts a high-quality seafront promenade, which is a crucial asset for attracting visitors to the town, as per Actu Nice.
“Throughout the year, numerous users of various ages and skill levels—children, parents, families, or accomplished athletes—engage in multiple sporting and recreational activities such as cycling, scootering, rollerblading, and skateboarding,” it added.
The Town Hall also recently shared photos of the site taking shape and a striking illustration shows how the park could look once completed, with riders able to navigate its undulating slopes a stone’s throw from the azure blue of the Mediterranean.
1,300 trees and shrubs are also being planted, further enhancing the beauty of the popular tourist spot.
Reports in France are comparing it to Venice Beach in Los Angeles, an American beach town known for its bohemian atmosphere and hallowed status in the history of skateboarding.
Back in the 70s, trailblazing surfer-turned-skaters in the Santa Monica/Venice Beach area famously began repurposing swimming pools to drop into and used any other discarded objects they could find to build parks.
A number of influential skaters including Stacey Peralta and Tony Alva emerged from the scene, and photos of skater groups risking life and limb as they carved up empty pools spread far and wide, inspiring skating scenes across the States.
Skateboarding has since exploded in popularity to become a multi-billion-dollar industry and Venice Beach and the DIY culture associated with it is thought to have been pivotal in its inception.