Water
Two sandy beaches in a Mediterranean cove. Ponteil: artificially created with concrete dikes and rock breakwaters. Salis: natural beach expanded by sand nourishment. Both bordered by rocky points and protected by maritime structures.
Location
Centre-ville, cap area of Antibes. Ponteil: 258 m long, 3–36 m wide. Salis: 318 m long, 14–33 m wide. Sandy beaches with sandy bottoms.
Facilities
Ponteil: Lifeguard post with qualified personnel, disabled access ramp, 22 bins, 9 showers, 4 toilets, 2 washbasins, drinking water, information point at lifeguard post, bathing water results posted, safety and hygiene information displayed. Salis: Lifeguard post with qualified personnel, disabled access ramp, 28 bins, 12 showers, 4 toilets, 2 washbasins, drinking water, information point at lifeguard post, bathing water results posted, safety and hygiene information displayed. No animals allowed at either beach.
Season
Summer monitoring period with mini-station Maizières operational during summer season. Temporary bathing bans issued in response to rain events: Ponteil had bans in 2020 (4–5 June, 22–24 September), 2021 (21 September), 2022 (29–30 June, 18–19 August), and 2023 (28–29 August). Salis had corresponding bans in 2022 and 2023.
Water Quality
Ponteil: Good quality in 2023 (downgraded from excellent to sufficient in 2018–2019, rebounded to good by 2023). Salis: Good quality in 2023 (downgraded from excellent to good after 2019 storm, remained good in 2023). Main pollution sources: Laval valley discharge, Ilette and Salis pumping station overflows, street runoff via Epi Salis, and provisional outlet 59 discharge since 2019. Type 1 profile with persistent background contamination at Ponteil.
Risks
Ponteil: Laval valley pluvial overflow carries organic pollution; provisional stormwater outlet 59 severely impacts water quality during rain; interconnections between wastewater and stormwater networks during storms; Ligure current and easterly swells can transport degraded water toward Salis. Salis: Proximity to Ilet cove receiving Laval discharge; potential storm surge overflow impacts. Both: Pumping station overflows during heavy rainfall; street runoff during wet weather.
