Angry residents of a posh seaside resort on the French Riviera are demanding an end to beach parties during the summer.
The chic resort of Juan-les-Pins is located just six miles from Cannes and is known for its long sandy beaches.
Every summer it hosts a series of events, including fireworks and the Jazz à Juan festival, which attracts some of the world’s most famous musicians.
The festival runs for about a month from the beginning of July and helps draw in visitors to the resort.
In an attempt to cash in on the resort’s reputation as a music venue, local businesses have started to organise beach parties during the summer.
However, many residents are up in arms about the noise pollution caused by the social events and are demanding that local authorities take action to stop them.
Several petitions have been circulated to denounce the activity, but have been ignored by local officials, locals say.
Tensions came to a head at a recent council meeting, attended by angry residents, local newspaper Nice Matin reports.
In a terse exchange, one local complained: “In the summer, private beaches become nightclubs!
“They play music, invite bands to perform to attract customers… They are not fulfilling their role.”
However, some officials believe the beach parties are essential to help bring in tourists and revenues.
“Juan-les-Pins is a festive district, known throughout the world for its jazz festival. It is not a retirement home,” retorted Élisabeth Lizzani, a spokeswoman for the neighbourhood.
“It only lasts two months in the summer and the musical entertainment makes people happy. Without it, the entire seafront would die.”
