The Mayor of Étretat Arms Seagulls Against Selfie-Tourists: The Battle for the Last Cliff

It seems the mayor of Étretat (Normandy) has switched to “Stop! Cliffs are not evolution’s trampoline” mode. The local cliffs have long attracted tourists whose fingers tremble with anticipation to take a selfie on the edge or record a TikTok where gravity is just a suggestion, not a rule. Unfortunately, the statistics suggest the finale is often not an edit, but a real leap with no second take.

“Please, don’t duel with physics!” — that’s more or less, with a note of weary inevitability, how Mayor Catherine Millet addressed guests, while rescuers, like gatekeepers at the entrance to Narnia, pulled out yet another thrill-seeker. The new rules are more than just signs; it’s a quest: to reach the edge for a selfie, you now need not only a camera, but at least a basic kit of common sense.

The locals, tired of being extras in someone else’s horror movie, are giving a standing ovation. Especially since it’s well known: where the “Caution!” sign ends, the live stream “Look, I’m alive!” on Instagram begins. But Étretat’s city hall is firmly determined to prove: the best stories aren’t those ending with the hashtag #Extreme, but those you can tell your descendants without footnotes to the emergency room.