- Title: FRANCE: PARIS LURES SUN-WORSHIPPERS TO A BEACH ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER SEINE
- Date: 26th August 2005
- Summary: - AUDIO AS INCOMING-(L!1) PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 21, 2005) (REUTERS) WIDE TROUPE OF BRAZILIANS DANCING AND PLAYING INSTRUMENTS ON A PATH NEXT TO THE RIVER SEINE AT "PARIS PLAGE"; WIDE BRAZILIAN GIRLS WEARING BIKINIS AND SARONGS DANCING (VARIOUS) (0.32) MV MAYOR OF PARIS, BERTRAND DELANOE, AND A DELEGATION WALKING ALONG PARIS PLAGE NEXT TO THE RIVER SEINE (0.40) (SOUNDBITE) (French) MAYOR OF PARIS, BERTRAND DELANOE, SAYING: "It is quality time, a time for meeting others in a beautiful place. There is equality too, as everything is free. There is also sport, lots of sport, that is to say that there is also rowing and there is lots of culture. This year in particular we have our Brazilian friends but there will be concerts, there will be some great things. This is also a time where we don't forget our values, our values of solidarity, such as being together and having the same rights and especially those who can't afford to go away on holiday." (1.09) LV EIFFEL TOWER SEEN IN THE DISTANCE THROUGH WATER DROPS AND PULL OUT TO SHOW CHILDREN DANCING UNDER WATER FOUNTAINS (1.20) MV VISITORS LOOKING AT A PLAN OF PARIS PLAGE; SCU PLAN OF PARIS PLAGE; PAN FROM RIVER SEINE TO PEOPLE SWIMMING IN A SWIMMING POOL; WIDE CHILDREN SWIMMING IN SWIMMING POOL; WIDE VISITORS SUNBATHING IN DECKCHAIRS NEXT TO RIVER; WIDE PARIS PLAGE VISITORS LAURA CHARRETTE AND ELIZABETH FROM CANADA SUNBATHING (VARIOUS) (2.08) SOUNDBITE (French) PARIS PLAGE VISITOR, LAURA CHARRETTE, SAYING: "It's fantastic, I hope that they do something like this in Toronto as well. It's brilliant for people who can't go to the seaside or whatever, it's fantastic." (2.17) WIDE PARIS CITY AUTHORITY SECURITY OFFICERS WALKING ALONG PAST VISITORS; WIDE DRINKING WATER FOUNTAIN WITH CROWDS OF VISITORS IN BACKGROUND; WIDE VISITORS WALKING ALONG WITH UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS IN FOREGROUND (VARIOUS) (2.35) (SOUNDBITE) (French) POLICE LIEUTENANT, YVES CHATELAIN, SAYING: "Well you know that today we are at the 'red' level of "Vigipirate" (a national security plan) due to the international context and what has happened, especially in London, so that means that there are very strict instructions. So what has changed compared to last year, you know that this is the fourth time that Paris Plage has taken place, so what's changed is that there is a message which is broadcast over the sound system every two hours to the visitors, to every citizen, as the everyone's security concerns everyone." (3.01) WIDE POLICE OFFICERS RIDING ALONG ON BICYCLES AND PULL OUT TO SHOW VISITORS; WIDE PEOPLE LYING ON THE 'BEACH'; WIDE SUNBATHERS WEARING SWIMMING COSTUMES LYING ON BEACH; PAN FROM PEOPLE LYING ON THE BEACH TO PEOPLE WALKING ALONG A PATH NEXT TO THE RIVER SEINE WIDE PEOPLE IN SWIMMING COSTUMES STANDING UNDER A SHOWER; WOMAN WEARING A BIKINI APPLYING SUN TAN LOTION; WIDE ADULTS AND CHILDREN DRINKING AT A WATER FOUNTAIN; WIDE PEOPLE LYING ON SUNBEDS; WIDE MAN PLAYING BOULES THROWING A BALL (VARIOUS) (4.09) SOUNDBITE (French) BOULES PLAYER, LUIGI, SAYING: "I come to watch what's going on, and because I'm a boules fan, when there is a game of boules I come and play boules." (4.18) WIDE "BATEAU MOUCHE" RIVER BOAT ON THE RIVER SEINE; WIDE RIVER BOAT PASSING UNDER BRIDGE WITH PEOPLE WALKING ALONG PARIS PLAGE NEXT TO THE RIVER (VARIOUS) (4.31)
- Embargoed: 10th September 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVABRMBNQH356KCINQDYVZ9GB72V
- Story Text: Paris lures sun-worshippers to a beach on the banks of the Seine.
The French capital lured sun-worshippers to the banks of the river Seine for the fifth consecutive year on Thursday (July 21, 2005) with the opening of "Paris Plage", or Paris Beach.
After the runaway success of Paris's artificial beach over the past four summers, Parisian authorities dumped 1500 tonnes of fine sand on the banks of the Seine, brought to Paris by barge, turning a busy thoroughfare into a palm tree-lined paradise.
This year's theme links in with the Year of Brazil which is being held this year in France. Accordingly the three beaches evoke their Brazilian counterparts: "Ipanema", "Copacabana" and "Maracana".
Conceived by mayor Bertrand Delanoe both for the thousands of Parisians who do not get a proper summer holiday and for tourists, he officially opened this year's beach with a ceremony at the Town Hall, followed by a visit to the beach.
Delanoe told journalists that visitors to the beach could expect sporting, musical and cultural events: "This year in particular we have our Brazilian friends but there will be concerts, there will be some great things. This is also a time where we don't forget our values, our values of solidarity, such as being together and having the same rights and especially those who can't afford to go away on holiday."
Parisian families and groups of tourists stripped off to their beachwear to lounge on sunbeds and deckchairs facing the River Seine and play in the sand. From 7:00 a.m.
(0500GMT) until August 21, visitors can take advantage of a host of free activities, all in the heart of Paris.
Since the London bombings on July 7, France has been on the second to highest level of alert on their "Vigipirate"
security plan and there was an increased police presence at the beach compared to previous years. Yves Chatelain, a Paris police lieutenant, told Reuters Television that security measures had been tightened. "There is a message which is broadcast over the sound system every two hours to the visitors, to every citizen, as the everyone's security concerns everyone," he said.
The Paris Plage beach area stretches over more than three kilometres (two miles) of Paris's right bank, from the Louvre art gallery to just past the Ile Saint Louis with its elegant 17th century mansions.
Traffic will be banned in favour of walkers, cyclists and rollerbladers.
Although swimming in the river is banned due to dangerous currents, visitors will be able to cool off in a small swimming pool or under water fountains, lounge in hammocks, play boules, do rock climbing activities, get ice cream from mobile stands and perfect their dance moves to the sounds of live bands.
Two Canadian girls were enjoying the sunshine. Laura Charrette from Toronto said she hoped that her home town would create a similar city beach: "It's brilliant for people who can't go to the seaside or whatever, it's fantastic," she said.
The Paris beach will be open for four weeks from July 21 until 21 August, 2005. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
