The towering holiday cruise liners that dominate the Côte d’Azur’s ports and bays every summer are no longer welcome, according to Nice’s longtime mayor, Christian Estrosi, who has revealed plans to issue a decree banning these massive vessels from docking along the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur’s coastline. The measure, which Estrosi aims to implement by the start of July, seeks to protect the environment and address concerns about overtourism in the region.
Cruise ships’ presence in local ports has long been a controversial issue, and Estrosi has now taken a firm stand against these floating hotels, with plans to ban them from docking starting on 1st July.
The announcement, made on 20th January, marks a decisive step toward concrete action on a subject he has previously expressed concern over, referring to the massive vessels as “monsters of the seas.”
“Monsters of the seas”
The decree will prohibit ships carrying more than 900 passengers from docking in ports along the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur’s coastline, which encompasses major tourism destinations such as Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and the city of Nice itself.
Estrosi is said to have taken inspiration for the decree from Venice, where similar restrictions have helped bring better balance to the picturesque city and greater peace to the famous lagoon.
“Venice has regained its beauty and its landscape by having a mayor who definitively refuses cruises. We intend to go in this direction, too,” said Estrosi in comments to the local French press.
Estrosi added that he doesn’t “want floating hotels to anchor in front of Nice,” before emphasising the negative impact of large cruise ships.
He criticised their contribution to pollution and their minimal economic benefit, noting, “Cruises that pollute, that dump their low-cost clientele who consume nothing but leave their waste behind… These cruises have no place here.”
A controversial policy
The proposed decree will require collaboration with officials from neighbouring municipalities as Estrosi works to finalise the details of a policy focused on responsible tourism.
His announcement has been met with praise from environmentalists but has scandalised some local stakeholders in the cruise industry.
Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux, President of the Environmental Group at the Metropolitan Council, has welcomed the plans, calling Estrosi’s concept “proof that perseverance bears fruit.”
In Villefranche-sur-Mer, however, where cruise ship tourism is a significant economic driver, some traders and tourism professionals have expressed their concerns and opposition to the proposal, arguing that they fear the ban will harm their livelihoods.
As Nice moves forward with drafting the decree, the debate highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing environmental concerns with the economic interests of coastal communities.
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