Thought you heard something earlier this morning? Two new warning sirens in Cap d’Ail and Beaulieu-sur-Mer were tested as part of a population alert system linked particularly to seismic activity.  

Cap d’Ail and Beaulieu-sur-Mer have joined the roughly 2,100 municipalities in France already equipped with early warning sirens. A test was conducted on Tuesday at 11.30am, which will be followed in the future by a monthly test on the first day of each month.  

Placed on the rooftop of the gendarmeries, these warning systems have been set up by the Ministry of the Interior as security devices, making it possible to alert the public of an impending serious threat or danger. These warning sirens have been going up in cities, towns and villages all over the country since 2013 for a variety of reasons, with Cap d’Ail and Beaulieu’s attached mainly to the risk of seismic activity.  The range of situations also includes things such as floods, chemical spills or seepages, and nuclear or technological threats. It does not include terrorist attacks.  

“It is a very important device, practical and essential, in the event of great danger,” said a statement from the town of Cap d’Ail.

These alarm tests take place on the first of each month at 12.15pm sharp in many of south-eastern France’s municipalities.   

Sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Photo source: Pujalin for Unsplash