These are the cleanest beaches in France to visit in 2019
A map of France's cleanest beaches in 2019 has been released, showing you which part of the French coastline or lake you'll be safest to take a dip during the summer.
If you're thinking of escaping the heat of the city and heading to a French beach or lake this summer, you'll probably want to consult the official list of France's cleanest beaches before you make any decisions about where to go.
Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag), the body responsible for certifying the cleanliness of French beaches, released its full list of new winners for 2019 on Wednesday, with Cassis and Rousset in the south of France, and Vieure in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes making the grade this year.
The Pavillon Bleu scheme, created in 1985, was extended in 1995 to include leisure areas of water and pleasure harbours. This year many of the top ranked beaches are many miles from the sea, at one of France's lake beaches, which frequently offer watersports, sun loungers and food options just like their coastal cousins.
Overall hundreds of locations in France have been awarded a blue flag.
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IN PICS: The Corsican beach chosen as France's 'most beautiful'
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The beaches in France you might want to avoid this summer
Photo: Pavillon Bleu website
So how does a beach earn a Pavillon Bleu?
Local authorities must first submit a beach or lake to be considered for the award, which will be followed by several visits and tests to check that the location meets the required standard.
Inspectors will then make checks on things such as the number of rubbish bins, recycling centres, drinking water points, seawater analysis, quality of the seawater and accessibility.
The beach must have clean water, good water management, a proper clean-up and a waste management system on the beach and surrounding area. Beaches that drop in standards can potentially lose their blue flag rating.
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If you're thinking of escaping the heat of the city and heading to a French beach or lake this summer, you'll probably want to consult the official list of France's cleanest beaches before you make any decisions about where to go.
Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag), the body responsible for certifying the cleanliness of French beaches, released its full list of new winners for 2019 on Wednesday, with Cassis and Rousset in the south of France, and Vieure in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes making the grade this year.
The Pavillon Bleu scheme, created in 1985, was extended in 1995 to include leisure areas of water and pleasure harbours. This year many of the top ranked beaches are many miles from the sea, at one of France's lake beaches, which frequently offer watersports, sun loungers and food options just like their coastal cousins.
Overall hundreds of locations in France have been awarded a blue flag.
READ ALSO:
- IN PICS: The Corsican beach chosen as France's 'most beautiful'
- The beaches in France you might want to avoid this summer
Photo: Pavillon Bleu website
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