The summer season begins for the accessible beaches of Nice, along the Promenade des Anglais. Those of Carras and the Centenaire offer a free service to assist with swimming until September 17.
The accessible beach of Carras already has a vacation feel. Open since June 15, it has already welcomed 260 people. “This beach is not just an accessible beach, it’s a beach for everyone,” insists Jacques Dejeandile, Municipal Councilor delegated to disability and to the accessible and inclusive City. It is not only for people in wheelchairs. Anyone, regardless of age, having difficulty walking or other disabilities preventing access to the water is welcome. The initiative is offered by the city of Nice in a desire for “an inclusive dynamic.”
These beaches allow people with reduced mobility to swim safely with support tailored to their needs. A shaded platform allows for comfortable enjoyment of the sea. And a lifeguard station is nearby. Showers, restrooms, changing rooms, parasols, pool noodles, life jackets, are at their disposal along with more specific equipment for entering the water such as amphibious chairs.
Albert has just come out of the water, with the help of this chair. A regular at Nice’s accessible beaches, he eagerly awaited their opening “like every year for the past thirty years.” Suffering from multiple sclerosis, the wheelchair-bound octogenarian finds joy in every visit. “I am convinced that in my illness, it allowed me to live to 81,” he confides. So, he plans to enjoy it every day this summer, for “at least an hour of swimming.” Enough to do good “for the body and the mind.”
A Summer Job with Meaning
A team of 14 accessible beach staff, seasonal employees hired by the city, works at this site, interacting with people with disabilities. Their mission mainly consists of supporting swimming, but also providing information, supervision, and listening.
Human contact is at the heart of the job. Alizée is starting her first season as an accessible beach staff member. A 22-year-old law student, she was looking for a summer job with meaning. Here, she feels “useful.” “There is a human connection that isn’t necessarily present in other jobs,” she says. In her position for four days, she is already appreciated by the regulars. Like her colleagues in orange, she holds the National Swimming and Aquatic Rescue Certificate.
Open 7 Days a Week
The beach of Carras is open to the public until August 31. That of the Centenaire opens from July 1 to September 17. Assistance is available from 11 AM to 6 PM, 7 days a week, including holidays. The service is free and accessible without reservation.
Both sites hold the Label Handiplage “3 Buoys”. A “quality mark indicating that these two sites have good quality equipment and infrastructure for a perfect welcome of people with disabilities.”
