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Due to the passage of Storm Ciaran on November 2nd over the Alpes-Maritimes, the department has been placed on orange alert for “waves-submersion”. The strong swells have erased the pebbles, leaving a sandy beach in their place.
One would hardly recognize our legendary Promenade des Anglais, as its iconic gray pebbles have disappeared. Who is to blame? It seems the culprit is Storm Ciaran.
This November 2nd, from 2 p.m., access to the beaches was prohibited by the decision of the city of Nice while the department switched to orange alert for “waves-submersion” until midnight.
While calm has returned to the coastline after the storm, which resulted in Nice experiencing significant episodes of large waves, a curious phenomenon is observed.
The beaches of the Promenade des Anglais have become sandy beaches within a few hours. The pebbles have not been removed; they have merely been covered with a layer of sand. Still visible in places, particularly around the Quai des États-Unis, in front of Vieux-Nice, on some portions of the Prom’, such as near Beau Rivage or even near Poincaré beach towards Magnan, they are easily forgotten, giving the look of Normandy coasts.
This is not the first time that sand has replaced pebbles on the beaches of Nice this year. The passage of Storm Aline on October 20th had altered the landscape, a phenomenon that also occurred on January 19th, after a yellow alert for “waves-submersion” along the Maralpine coast. This can happen in cases of severe storms and exceptional swells.
But don’t worry, the pebbles reappeared after a few days. Patience is not much needed to see the Baie des Anges regain its purely Nice style, while nature offers a beautiful spectacle to be admired comfortably seated on the iconic blue chairs (which haven’t budged at all).
The pebbles, a history of coastal preservation
Even if these unusual images can be a subject of wonder, it should be known that historically the pebbles are present for safety on the beaches of Nice. Naturally, they are not so numerous. But every year, before the arrival of spring, excavators are out and the municipality dumps tons of pebbles on its beaches. An “engraissement” operation carried out since 1960.
The goal: to preserve the coastline by preventing it from being gradually eroded by the waters. In 2023, 5,000 additional tonnes of pebbles had been spread over more than 4 kilometers of beach.
