Nice Court Blocks Mayor’s Bid to Limit Cruise Ship Visits

A local court in Nice has struck down an order issued by Mayor Christian Estrosi to restrict cruise ship arrivals, ruling that he overstepped his legal authority. The decision, handed down on Sunday, July 13, came just four days after Estrosi attempted to impose new access limits on the ports of Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

According to the Administrative Court, only the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes department holds the legal power to manage maritime traffic. “It is up to the prefect to organize the entry, exit, and movement of ships,” the judge clarified. Despite Estrosi’s position as both mayor and president of the metropolitan council, the court found he lacked the jurisdiction to enforce such restrictions. Ironically, it was Prefect Laurent Hottiaux who brought the legal challenge.

Estrosi’s controversial order, announced on July 9, was driven by environmental concerns. He has repeatedly argued that cruise ships are significant contributors to pollution—claiming they are “three times worse than airplanes.” Although the court has now suspended his directive, Estrosi has vowed to continue the fight. He even threatened potential legal action against the national government for what he sees as a failure to protect the environment.

The issue came to a head on July 11, when Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas anchored off Villefranche-sur-Mer with over 3,100 passengers—exceeding Estrosi’s proposed 2,500-person cap. In a dramatic display, Estrosi boarded a port police vessel and attempted to hand-deliver a letter outlining the new rules to the ship’s captain. The captain, citing maritime regulations, declined to allow him aboard. A video of the exchange shows Estrosi shouting from the smaller boat, “You are not allowed to be here, you are nothing!” while waving the letter at the towering cruise ship.

While Estrosi insists his motives are rooted in environmental protection, critics have dismissed his actions as performative, arguing that the spectacle undermines legitimate ecological concerns. With his order now suspended, Estrosi’s campaign to limit cruise ship traffic faces legal setbacks and increasing public scrutiny.