510: this is the number of beaches and ports that have been awarded the Blue Flag label

This year, 14 new sites (9 beaches and 5 marinas) have been added to the list. The map and the list beaches labeled in 2023 are available on the site

Blue Flag

.

Here are the new beaches labeled in 2023:

Bouches-du-Rhône

• La Ciotat, Cyrnos beach

Southern Corsica

• Serra di Ferro, Porto Pollo beach

Finistère

• Audierne, Trez Goarem beach
• Bénodet, Trez beach
• Plouarzel, Porsman beach

Gironde

• Le Verdon-sur-Mer, Chambrette beach (estuary)

Batch

• Catus Plage, The Green Lake

Vendée

• L'Aiguillon-la-presqu'île, body of water
• La Tranche-sur-Mer, Flandre Dunkirk Beach

Five new marinas were certified in 2023: The map and the list ports labeled in 2023 are available on the site

Blue Flag

.

Alpes-Maritimes

• Marina of the Old Port of Cannes

Southern Corsica

• Serra di Ferro, Port Jean-Baptiste Tomi

Upper Corsica

• Port of Macinaggio

Finistère

• Port-Launay Harbor

Saône-et-Loire

• Port of Châlon-sur-Saône

With 510 labeled sites, France is the 5^e country with the highest number of Blue Flag sites.

What are the criteria?

The Blue Flag criteria are grouped into 4 large families.

For municipalities and beaches:

• Environmental education (public awareness of environmental issues).
• Waste management.
• Water management.
• General environment (safe, ethical and sustainable).

For marinas:

• Environmental education.
• Waste management.
• Environmental management.
• Site management.

You can consult the criteria and their on-site assessment

Blue Flag

.

What are the constraints?

Blue Flag

is an annual label. It is allocated only for the current year. No municipality or port can claim the Blue Flag if it is not a winner of the year.

All flags must be lowered at the end of the summer season (beach surveillance period) or on December 31 of the current year for marinas.

Each labeled site receives a 150 x 100 cm flag. The flag offered must be flown on the beach or the labeled port. The Blue Flag flags are exclusively manufactured by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) according to very precise environmental standards (color, material, manufacturing process). Winners cannot have their own flag made.

When a labeled site must be temporarily closed for accidental non-compliance with one of the criteria (green algae, cyanobacteria, pollution risks, etc.) or used for an event that has no connection with the label (fair, sports competitions), the

Blue Flag

shall be lowered until the event reopens or ends and the reason for such withdrawal and its duration shall be indicated.

Each labeled site is monitored during Teragit's consulting season. Their mission is to verify that the criteria

Blue Flag

are well respected throughout the season and advise and accompany site managers to help them achieve environmental excellence.