Wild boars are increasingly venturing onto beaches along the French Riviera, prompting warnings for tourists to be vigilant. The animals are drawn to snacks left by visitors and food waste in beach bins, contributing to a surge in their population that authorities are struggling to control.
Feeding the boars is prohibited, yet holidaymakers continue to do so, exacerbating the problem. The influx is not limited to beaches; campsites, restaurants, and other accommodations are also experiencing an increase in boar activity. According to The Times, the wild boar population is growing at a rate that outpaces control efforts. The French Federation of Hunters culled 881,372 boars during the 2024-25 hunting season, a number nearly double that of two decades prior, but the animals continue to breed at a faster pace than they can be managed.
While no fatal incidents involving wild boars have been reported in France to date, the animals can become aggressive if frightened or in pain. Recent months have seen several incidents, including a boar that entered the sea and then ran across Almanarre beach in Hyères in May. Efforts to manage the issue, such as a €450 (£385) fine for feeding boars in the resort town of Fréjus, have proven ineffective.
Beyond the disruption to tourists, wild boars pose a significant economic challenge. They cause approximately €90 million (£77 million) in crop damage annually across France, with costs typically covered by compensation from the French Federation of Hunters.
This situation in France mirrors broader trends across Europe. In late 2025, wild boars disrupted operations at A Coruña Airport in Spain, forcing the temporary closure of the runway and diversion of two flights. Earlier this year, in April, Warsaw authorities deployed hunters to address a significant wild boar problem, with at least 3,000 animals recorded in the city by March 2026. City officials described the scale of the issue as unprecedented.
Wildlife experts cite several factors for the surge in wild boar populations. These include increased resistance to African swine fever since 2017, reduced human activity during COVID-19 lockdowns, and European Union restrictions on relocating the animals to forests. The boars have also adapted to urban environments, seeking food in cities and sometimes being fed by residents.
