Menton's Sablettes Beaches Face Limited Openings Following Court Ruling
Only three private beaches are likely to open this summer due to the suspension of four exploitation subcontracts confirmed by the court.
In Menton, the judicial system has determined that only three private beaches at Sablettes are expected to operate this summer, following a ruling by the Marseille Administrative Court of Appeal on March 28, 2025. The court rejected appeals from the municipality of Menton and two beach operators, 'La Pergola' and 'La French', regarding the suspension of four subcontract agreements for private beach operations.
This decision upholds an earlier verdict from the Nice Administrative Tribunal dated February 12.
The municipality expressed disappointment over the ruling, describing it as both 'extremely disheartening' and 'difficult to understand'.
The legal action was initiated by the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, which cited 'potential irregularities' in the awarding of concessions, highlighting a lack of prioritization in evaluation criteria.
The state argued that the municipality should have reconsidered certain proposals that were eliminated in the initial round of selections due to non-compliance with the requirement for temporary structures.
Mayor Yves Juhel clarified that the legal oversight indicated that the municipality was obliged to re-evaluate these candidates during the second phase of awarding.
In response to allegations of favoritism from the prefecture, the mayor contested such claims, asserting that 'there has never been favoritism; the quality of submissions was the deciding factor'.
He cited the allocation of the first beach, La Cabane, to a supporter of his political opponent as evidence of the fairness of the process.
With the court's decision, the number of operational beaches for the 2025 season is significantly reduced.
Only three beaches remain unaffected by the suspension, including two that were the subject of renunciation orders from the prefect on March 25. This restriction may impact Menton's beach-related activities during the summer season.
The mayor expressed concerns about the lengthy process of reassigning beaches, which could take up to eight months, while remaining hopeful for amicable negotiations with state authorities for temporary operational permits.
The municipality is also awaiting decisions on the remaining five lots still under judicial review.
This decision upholds an earlier verdict from the Nice Administrative Tribunal dated February 12.
The municipality expressed disappointment over the ruling, describing it as both 'extremely disheartening' and 'difficult to understand'.
The legal action was initiated by the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, which cited 'potential irregularities' in the awarding of concessions, highlighting a lack of prioritization in evaluation criteria.
The state argued that the municipality should have reconsidered certain proposals that were eliminated in the initial round of selections due to non-compliance with the requirement for temporary structures.
Mayor Yves Juhel clarified that the legal oversight indicated that the municipality was obliged to re-evaluate these candidates during the second phase of awarding.
In response to allegations of favoritism from the prefecture, the mayor contested such claims, asserting that 'there has never been favoritism; the quality of submissions was the deciding factor'.
He cited the allocation of the first beach, La Cabane, to a supporter of his political opponent as evidence of the fairness of the process.
With the court's decision, the number of operational beaches for the 2025 season is significantly reduced.
Only three beaches remain unaffected by the suspension, including two that were the subject of renunciation orders from the prefect on March 25. This restriction may impact Menton's beach-related activities during the summer season.
The mayor expressed concerns about the lengthy process of reassigning beaches, which could take up to eight months, while remaining hopeful for amicable negotiations with state authorities for temporary operational permits.
The municipality is also awaiting decisions on the remaining five lots still under judicial review.
