A French policeman stands near an official document informing the public of the closure of the beach called “La Mirandole” which is located below the seafront villa owned by the king of Saudi Arabia.
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Paris: Saudi King Salman’s planned three-week luxury trip to France was curtailed to an 8-day stay after over 150,000 beachgoers signed a petition lodging protest over the closure of the beach at French Riviera.
King Salman left his holiday villa in Vallauris, France, just eight days into a scheduled three-week stay, the BBC reports. Saudi sources indicated the early departure had nothing to do with media coverage about the beach controversy.
The arrival of the King, along with his 1,000-strong entourage, drew a mixed response from locals with some businesses welcoming the boost to local businesses and others saying the decision to close the beach was a violation of French equality laws.
Security measures that had been put in place around the king’s villa would now be “progressively lifted”, Castanet said, adding that the stretch of beach in front of the villa would reopen to sunbathers and swimmers on Monday. Residents were also angered by the construction of a private gateway and lift, which required concrete to be laid in the sand near the shoreline.
The source said the king respected the French people and hoped his schedule next year would permit a visit to nearby Cannes, where the famous film festival is held annually.
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While some residents grumbled at the closure of the beach, local traders rolled out the red carpet for the monarch and his big-spending friends.
