Surge in North African Tourists Overwhelms French Coastal Town Palavas

With the rush of Maghrebis to the corners of Palavas, the attendance of the area has exploded. "This season is unprecedented. Compared to usual, we have a significant overload of attendance," Christian Jeanjean, the mayor of the city, confided to the newspaper Le Point. "With the health crisis, some borders remained closed, including those of the Maghreb. Nightclubs and other places of relaxation for fun have not opened. The increase in incivilities is therefore mathematical," he explains.

But the overload of attendance in this seaside resort is not to the liking of the people of Palavas. This is evidenced by the comments of Internet users. "Palavas has become the haunt of scum", "Every night, we suffer the noise of altercations, insults...", "What a strange population this year", "The filthy and disrespectful tourists leave the beach leaving their waste behind. It’s getting worse and worse"... According to the mayor, they say "too much is too much" and "demand a return to calm, because they are well at home".