Mauvaise nouvelle pour les Marseillais et les vacanciers qui comptaient profiter des plages de la cité phocéenne, leur choix va être restreint. La mairie a interdit dimanche neuf d'entre elles à la baignade. Les violents orages qui se sont abattus sur la région ont «entraîné une pollution ponctuelle parfaitement naturelle» : des rivières ont débordé de leur lit. Par précaution, la ville a donc décidé de fermer neuf de ses plages.
Badly translated, that means that due to storms which caused rivers to overflow, pollution was carried to the sea and therefore nine beaches had to be closed.
Interesting place, France. It may have altered but I remember sitting al fresco, sipping a hiedously expensive orange juice and a smell became apparent. Looking down to the right, there was an open drain running past through the square, to a hole in the cobblestoned surface.
I'm not suggesting for one moment that this was endemic in France. What I am suggesting is that I'm curious just how close we all are to the waste disposal system or lack of system breaking down under extraordinary circumstances. Just how much more household waste can we handle?
Quite. There is a measure of fun in being curmudgeonly, but we've got to welcome sensible green policies.
ReplyDeleteAgree with your concern
ReplyDeleteAs an aside. Things that annoy me when in France:
-cost of soft drinks
-dog poo/dog owning obsession
-shop owners who can't just let you freely browse without insisting on helping you
-regimented chairs and parasols on the beaches, like in Italy. argh!
Sackers - yes.
ReplyDeleteAlison - shop owners - yes.
Not to mention all those French people!
ReplyDeleteOr is that not politically correct?