Summary

TAPE: EF03/0659 IN_TIME: 03:18:37 DURATION: 2:46 SOURCES: APTN RESTRICTIONS: DATELINE: Paris - 20 July 2003 SHOTLIST: Day shots 1 Pan from Paris Plage (Paris Beach) sign to promenade 2 Various shots of sunbathers on loungers 3 Woman applying sunscreen 4 Tilt down from palm tree to sunbathers 5 Various shots of sunbathers Night shots 6 Trucks transporting sand 7 Various shots of truck dumping sand 8 Set up Jean-Christophe Choblet with workers 9 SOUNDBITE (French) Jean-Christophe Choblet, Paris Plage Art Director: I am working in the imaginary It's a party, it's a show It's the little things that mean you are in a free, open and public place That is what cities are missing nowadays That is what the mayor wants, that is why it works I mean it is intuitive This place is a motorway the whole year, we have turned it into a place to relax in, a place to walk around and a free place All activities are free That is what the city government wanted and I this is how I've answered that need Day shots 10 Various shots of people playing petanque 11 Child playing in sand 12 SOUNDBITE (English) Michele Waters, American from San Francisco who lives in Paris: It's wonderful for people who can't go to the beach, because it's so expensive with the traffic, this makes it perfect 13 SOUNDBITE (French) Alain Gerard, Parisian: It's very good, I think it's handy, it's original Having this in Paris, in the capital, is excellent It stops us from having to go to the beach, because it's quite far away We avoid the traffic jams to go to Normandy or to go to Brittany, it's very good The only thing that's missing are some platforms to go swimming 14 Children under showers 15 Tilt down from water outlets to child 16 Mid shot person under umbrella on lounger 17 Wide shot beach area STORYLINE: Parisians who have to spend their summer in the city will also have a chance to stroll on the sand and relax under palm trees in lounge chairs For the second year running, Paris is getting a beach A three kilometre (19-mile) stretch of highway along the Seine River is being closed off to traffic and transformed into a sandy shore Against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, people will be able to picnic, swing in hammocks, play beach volley ball, take tai chi lessons or splash in fountains - all for free Ahead of the opening on Sunday, about 3,000 metric tons (3,100 short tons) of sand are being poured over the concrete The project is part of Socialist Mayor Bertrand Delanoe's project to make Paris more livable, and although some Parisian drivers griped about traffic being cut off, the beach drew more than 23 (m) million visitors last year This year, the project is expanding - three times as much sand will cover the quay, doubling the beach area, and there will also be more beach umbrellas and blue-white cabins The project costs 15 (m) euros (168 million US dollars), but includes contributions of 800,000 euros (898,240 US dollars) from private sponsors The city is keeping vending points on the river front to a minimum to keep children from nagging their parents for sweets and trinkets However, unlike a beach, sunbathers will not be able to go for a swim - it's forbidden to swim in the murky Seine, which is crisscrossed by tourist boats and barges The beach will be open until August 17