Parisians have found a way to get relief from the summer heat by building an artificial beach along the River Seine.
The 2.5km sandy beach along the river's right bank is full of palm trees, beach chairs and umbrellas, and has become a regular part of summer life in Paris since its inauguration in 2002.
However, this year the beach has been extended to include the left bank as well. The area now also sports a kilometer-long beach between a new year-round swimming pool and a pedestrian walkway over the Seine.
This year the Paris beach has taken Tahiti as its theme, with visitors invited to take part in dance classes and shows in traditional Polynesian huts built along the river.
The month-long event, which is completely free, is expected to attract about 4 million visitors.
Mayor Bertrand Delanoe said that the Paris beach is for people who can't afford to take a vacation at a real beach.
This year about 2,500 tons of sand were brought to the riverside, along with 68 palm trees stretching eight meters high. The whole project cost 2.2 million euros (NT$91.26 million) and took 1,500 workers to set up.
The idea has proved so successful that it has been copied in other French cities, as well as Berlin and Tokyo.
Visitors to the Paris beach can also play about 20 sports, such as volleyball and frisbee, while other games have been set up for children.
Although no swimming is allowed in the Seine, water fountains and a bathing spot have been set up along the beach. (afp)
巴黎人找到了炎夏避暑的良方︰在塞納河畔打造人工沙灘。
塞納河右岸蜿蜒著二點五公里長的沙灘,處處是棕櫚樹、沙灘椅與遮陽傘,自二○○二年啟用以來,已經成了巴黎夏季日常生活的一部分。
不過,今年沙灘也延伸到了左岸。目前,塞納河左岸也在全年開放的新游泳池與人行步道之間,打造了一公里長的沙灘。
今年巴黎沙灘以大溪地為主題,傳統波里尼西亞小木屋沿著河畔而築,遊客並受邀參加其中的舞蹈課程與表演。
為期一個月的活動完全免費,預計吸引四百萬左右的人潮。
巴黎市長德拉諾耶表示,巴黎沙灘是給沒有錢到真正沙灘度假的人們。
今年大約有兩千五百噸的沙子被運往河畔,沿岸還有六十八棵八公尺高的棕櫚樹。整個計畫耗資兩百二十萬歐元(新台幣九千一百二十六萬元),動用一千五百名工人興建。
這個點子相當成功,法國其他城市、柏林與東京也爭相模仿。
巴黎沙灘的遊客也可玩二十種左右的運動,像是排球與飛盤,也有孩童遊戲專區。
雖然塞納河禁止游泳,但沙灘沿岸設立了噴泉與淋浴區。
(法新社╱翻譯︰賴美君)
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