More than 90 beaches in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, which has a coastline stretching from Menton in the east to the Camargue Regional Nature Park in the west, have been awarded a prestigious Blue Flag for the 2024 summer season. 

Every year, the Foundation for Environmental Education awards beaches deemed compatible with the worldwide organisation’s “stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria” with the Blue Flag label, known in French as the Pavillon Bleu.  

Some 91 beaches in the PACA region have earned a Blue Flag this year. In the Alpes-Maritimes, 24 beaches in towns and cities including Nice, Antibes and Cannes will be able to proudly fly their Blue Flag this summer, while an impressive 45 beaches in the Var have been recognised for their efforts.  

Seven ports in the Alpes-Maritimes, such as the Port de Plaisance in Cap d’Ail, the Marina Baie des Anges, Port Camille Rayon in Golfe-Juan, Cannes’ two ports and Port de La Napoule, have also been awarded a Blue Flag. In the Var, the number of ports and harbours with a Blue Flag for 2024 rises to 15. 

See more: The secret beaches in Monaco you might not have heard of

To be considered for a Blue Flag, sites must pass through a rigorous test with 50 benchmark standards that include waste and water management, the cleanliness of bathing water, gentle mobility and environmental education, to name a few. 

In total, 398 French beaches have been rewarded with the Pavillon Bleu label this year, as well as 106 marinas. PACA was the second-highest scoring region after Occitanie.  

For a full list of all the 2024 laureates, click here. 

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Photo source: Catalina Fedorova, Unsplash