In municipal jargon, it is a “canine bathing area”. More commonly known as “Toutou beach”.

“There are some in neighboring towns, and there was a regular demand in La Seyne to have one”, explains Nathalie Soriano, municipal councilor responsible for tourism and animal protection.

“We therefore decided to create one, outside the bathing area, in order to meet this expectation and no longer have dog owners who come with their animals to the beach of Les Sablettes where it is prohibited”.

So that four-legged friends can enjoy the joys of swimming, a location has just been marked out in Saint-Elme, south of the nautical base.

“This space is off-centre and delimited, along the dike, by signage and a water line. It is a place where there is not really sand, rather pebbles; so it is not a corner frequented by bathers and summer visitors. Moreover, it is a space where dog owners already came. But it is now regulated”, specifies the elected representative.

Prohibited breeds

The municipal decree related to the establishment of the “Toutou beach” indicates that access to this area “is only allowed to dogs on a leash, and muzzled for those of second category (type (American Staffordshire terrier – formerly Staffordshire terrier-, Rottweiller and Tosa). On the other hand, it is forbidden for first category dogs (American Staffordshire terrier type – formerly Staffordshire terrier -, also called pit bulls; and Mastiffs, also called boer bulls).”

As you can imagine, canine droppings are also prohibited and “must be collected – for this purpose, a bin equipped with a canine bag dispenser”, is installed.

Finally, “It is forbidden to let dogs play or run on the beach or in the water. The use of this space must not cause any inconvenience to users of the nearby slipway”.

“That people don’t think that there are going to be dog summer camps that are going to land”, believes Nathalie Soriano. And to indicate, for all intents and purposes, that “the place is not reserved only for dog owners, it remains open to all”. And this throughout the year, because the “Toutou beach” is intended to last beyond the summer period.