San Francisco Frontiers - Tourists slowly return to French bay opposite huge wildfire

A few people strolled along the seafront and colourful parasols dotted the sandy beach in the town of Arcachon.

Julien Daufresne, 42, was delighted to see tourists after firefighters this weekend gained the upper hand over France's largest wildfire since 1949.

"It's good to see people again," said Daufresne, who lives in Arcachon but works as a jewellery and watch salesman in the nearby winemaking capital of Bordeaux.

A massive fire across the Arcachon Bay started on July 22, forcing 220 people to flee their homes to safety.

The fire went on to incinerate some 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) of pine forest along the Atlantic coastline, destroying some 240 homes in its wake.

In Arcachon, Daufresne and others did not have to evacuate.

"What was impressive was seeing the seafront boulevard completely empty. No cars, no passersby, nothing," he said.

"Now, there's a bit of traffic again," he added, smiling.

Luisa Nogues et Rosa Pinto, two sisters aged 61 and 66, said they had just arrived on holiday when the fire started.

"It was horrible," said Nogues. "It didn't feel like a holiday at all anymore."

But, said her sister, now "you can feel things coming back to life a little. People are less hunched over."

- 'Tiny cigarette butt' -

Joaquim Fajarnes, an ice cream parlour owner, said the fire had seriously hurt his business.

"It hasn't really picked up yet," said the businessman, who also owns two souvenir shops -- one in town and another near Europe's tallest sand dune, the Dune du Pilat, a short drive away.

But "we're going to be positive," he said, after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Saturday urged holidaymakers to show solidarity and return to the area.

Tourism generates seven percent of the wider Gironde region's GDP, and employs 40,000 people, according to the local authorities.

Bruno Spinosa, a 67-year-old retiree, said he was only "half relieved", as firefighters continued to douse flames that were still active in several areas.

He said he was shocked by "people who are starting to have picnics again with a fag in their mouth".

"I'm a bit worried because with the drought we've had this year is extraordinary," he said. And "you just need a tiny cigarette butt" for it all to erupt in flames again.

U.Campbell--SFF