Surfers in southern France on Monday (May 11) defied a government-issued closure of beaches as the country started to ease a nearly two-month long lockdown in the battle against the new coronavirus.
French police chase off lockdown surfers
Surf's not up Location: Cannes, France Despite government-issued closures surfers took to the Mediterranean waves But it did not take long for the police shoo them away (SOUNDBITE) (French) BELGIAN SURFER LIVING NEAR CANNES, NICOLAS, SAYING:"How long did we surf, what?
Two hours?
Four police officers arrived and made us get out of the water, but it didn't take us long to get back into the water." Beaches nationwide have been shut for weeks taking its toll on restaurants and hotels especially along the French Riviera