Cap Watch

Sécurité Aquatique

Didier is a regular swimmer on the Cap and also works as a life guard at Plage Keller and Plage Joseph. I saw him one morning as he was getting ready to go into the water. As I passed he asked me to help zip him into his wetsuit, which I did before asking him if I could take a couple of photos before he set off. Turns out he knew of the blog so he kindly said yes. We then had a quick chat before he swam off into the distance.

Tell me a bit about yourself and why you are here this moring.

I am living in Juan Les pins and I work at Plage keller. I am the life guard there.

I am on Plage des Ondes this morning to swim in the sea here. It’s something I like to do, I have loved to swim since I was very young. Swimming regularly is also something I need to do for my work as I need to keep fit and in good shape.

I have been a lifeguard for the last 6 years. Before that I worked as a sports coach. I was a swimming and sports coach. I used to coach people who were training for the triathlon. The triathlon is a big sport here and Cap d’Antibes is the perfect place to train. You have the sea for the swimming and then the tour of the Cap for running and cycling.

You can  do all your training in the same place which is very nice. It’s also a very beautiful place to come to train.

I come here to swim at least 3 times per week. I swim for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to an hour depending on how much time I have.

I enjoy sports very much and have been sporty since I was very young.

Describe your typical Day?

I wake up early and then I go and do my sport every morning. I swim, cycle, surf or kite surf. Then I go to work. I work at Plage Keller in May, June and September. During the other months of the summer  season I work at Bijou Plage in Juan Les Pins. I start work at around 10 or 11 am.

Plage Keller it is good for me financially and also I love the people here. This is actually the first year that I have worked at Plage Keller.  The ambiance is very different here to that in Juan Les Pins, they have a very different type of clientele.

What do you love about your job at Plage Keller?

I love to mix with the clients here. They come from all over the world so I get to practice my languages. We have people from Germany, the UK and the States and of course Russians, but I don’t speak Russian yet.

The clients here are very varied and from all backgrounds. You obviously meet people  who are very wealthy but you also have people who come here for a special occasion or as a treat. For example today I have a client here who has come from St Petersbourg but they are just simple people. He has been telling me many stories today.

I was also just speaking with two young girls who are here today, they are maybe 25 years old. They are on holiday and have come from Norway. They told me that they fish for Salmon back home. We were talking and they said “You should come and visit us and go fishing with us”. I was surprised as I couldn’t imagine them going fishing, I didn’t think girls liked to fish but apparently they love to fish and have been doing it since they were little. They said that it was normal in Norway for young people and also girls to go fishing.

It’s stories like this which I find interesting. I love to chat with the guests on the beach and I learn many things.

What do you do when Plage Keller closes for the season?

Actually in the winter I do something very different. I sell properties on a web platform called Proprietes Prives. I am self-employed so I am able to do something different work wise depending on the time of year. It’s a job which I can do from home as I sell through the website therefore I don’t need premises or staff etc. It gives me the freedom and flexibility I like.

When is your favourite time of year to swim and why?

Oh that’s September and October because it’s not too hot, it’s quiet and the water isn’t too cold. These months for me are the best.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be and why?

Maybe New Zealand because New Zealand has many people who are very close to nature. I like to be with people who, like me, love nature and who love to be outside.  You have the mountains, you have the sea, the lakes. You can go fishing, you can do many things there.

I will never go though.  I have a wife and family here and our work is here, also I am too old now.

To be honest I live in a very idyllic place. When you have somewhere as beautiful as Cap d’Antibes on your doorstep it is very hard to leave.

POST UPDATE

Since writing this post I am sad to have learned that Didier passed away in January 2018. I would like to take this opportunity to send my condolences to his friends and family. I am happy that I had the chance to get to know him a little and to share his story here on the blog. RIP Didier.

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