“It’s our annual ritual”: from the toll booth to the beach, there were crowds in Palavas for this long Ascension weekend

Nadia, Elias and their children Achille and Antonia: the Dijon residents on a long weekend in Palavas, a ritual for several years. FREE MIDI – GIACOMO ITALIANO

The water temperature does not exceed 16°, so we don’t last long! FREE MIDI – G. ITALIANO

Peaux blanches en plein cagnard, on veut afficher une mine ensoleillée lundi au travail ! MIDI LIBRE – G. ITALIANO

Bumper to bumper, towel to towel, for this long weekend of May 8 and Ascension, a massive crowd of tourists headed towards Palavas, where it was necessary to turn for almost an hour between car parks and housing estates for parking early in the afternoon. On the agenda for the day: sun, sun and hellip; a little exasperation!

A long 5-day weekend, good weather, all that was needed for this couple of young retirees from the Jura to take the Mediterranean road, direction Palavas, "as we do three or four times a year".

The Jura residents find that there are really "too many people"

First bath perhaps, but first crowd bath guaranteed at the start of the afternoon, where you had to be varnished to hope to find a free or paid parking space, in less than 45 minutes. "We took a hotel in Montpellier Ouest this afternoon, and we will arrive early tomorrow to avoid the hassle by car", underlines the tourist on his towel that he won't take off all day.

Because from the toll to the beach, no time to waste. "The good weather might not last ! We never come in the middle of summer to avoid all that, he points with his eyes, excluding himself from a crowd of which he is nevertheless an active member, "for us, there are already too many people but we love this place, so…". So it’s well worth a few territorial concessions around the parasol.

Hot outside, cold inside

The abandoned beach is no more, and the temperature announced by the sea lifeguards in full exercise is "16°, no more& nbsp;!". Hot outside, cold inside, the conditions are not ideal, but for Antonia and Achille, 5 and 7 years old, vigorously rubbed by their parents, everything is fine. The people of Dijon have their habits there in the event of a long weekend, "for me, it’s a return to my roots, I lived here in the past&quot ;, says Nadia. "She's the one who decides", Elias laughs. "She sees her old friends again !".

For five days, renting an apartment costs them 500 €, which seems "reasonable". On the program, restaurants, relaxation and sandcastles… and girlfriends! "We appreciate the sun, it’s an annual ritual, despite the crowds on the road !" .

Aperitif, work…

Straw hat and summer outfit, Baptiste, Laure and company, all from Nîmes except one. Together, they came to visit their Parisian brother for the day who had the good idea to rent in Palavas, "I book here regularly and I find that it&rsquo ;is still calm", indicates the brother, accustomed to the crowds of the capital, but a fan of teleworking on the shores of the Great Blue, & quot;when it's right, it's really not bad " : aperitif, work and sleep !

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