Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

SUMMER

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.

Published: 22 May 2019 17:08 CEST
These are the cleanest beaches in France to visit in 2019
Photo: AFP

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:

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. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

HEALTH

LISTED: The 14 sun creams Spain wants to take off the market

If you're looking for the right sun protection this summer, then you should be aware that the Spanish Ministry of Health has requested that 14 sunscreens be withdrawn because their SPF doesn't correspond to what is advertised.

Published: 28 July 2021 12:32 CEST
LISTED: The 14 sun creams Spain wants to take off the market
The Spanish Ministry of Health requests the withdrawal of 14 sun creams. Photo: MYCHELE DANIAU / AFP

The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) and the Ministry of Health, requested on Tuesday the voluntary withdrawal of 14 sun creams because the sun protection factor (SPF) that they advertise does not correspond to the labelling.

The results were discovered during a recent trial AEMPS carried out to guarantee that the sun protection factor is the one announced by the manufacturers. The trials focused on sunscreens with SPF 50 or SPF 50+, especially those with very light creams, mists and sprays. The agency chose 19 products from companies in different countries, of different sizes and price points.

Only five of the 19 creams analysed provided protection that was consistent with its labelling.

Five of the sun creams had an SPF much lower than that indicated on their labels, always below an SPF factor of 29.9. These are:

  • Abelay Sunscreen SPF50 from Ab7
  • Mussvital Photoprotector Spray Ultra Light 50+ aerosol from Peroxfarma
  • Eucerin Sun Sensitive Protect Sun Spray Transparent Dry Touch SPF 50 High by Beiersdorf AG
  • Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydratation Solar Mist air soft SPF 50+ (High) by Wilkinson Sword
  • Australian Gold SPF Botanical SPF 50 continuous spray by Biorius

Nine of the sunscreens were found to have an SPF of between 30 and 49.9, instead of the advertised 50. These were:

  • Les Cosmetiques Sun Ultimate Sensitive SPF 50+ sun spray for sensitive skin from Carrefour
  • Belle & Sun Invisible Sun Mist SPF 50 by Perseida Beauty
  • Isdin Photoprotector Fusion Water SPF 50 from ISDIN daily use facial sunscreen
  • Farline sun spray SPF 50+ 200 mL Very High Protection
  • Babaria Solar Protective Mist SPF 50 by Berioska
  • Seesee Transparent Sun Spray SPF 50+ by Cosmetrade
  • Piz Buin Hydro Infusion Gel Sun Cream SFP 50 High Protection by Johnson & Johnson Santé Beauté
  • Ladival Sensitive Skin SPF 50+ from STADA Arzneimittel AG
  • Lancaster Sun Sensitive Luminous Tan Comfort cream SPF 50+ by Coty

No incidents of sunburn related to any of these products have been reported, however the Ministry of Consumption has started to investigate possible illicit advertising and unfair practices, and where appropriate, will sanction the manufacturers.

According to Weather Online, the UV Index in Spain and other Mediterranean countries is a lot higher than in northern European countries. Indices of 9 and 10 are common, whereas, in the UK, the UV Index rarely exceeds 8.

If you’re looking for extra protection this summer, a new app, UV-Derma has been released by professors from the University of Malaga, which calculates how long you can stay in the sun before burning. 

READ ALSO: Climate crisis: Spain records hottest year in 2020

SHOW COMMENTS