[Graynsam]

Tantra, a beach-club in Cap d'Agde (Hérault), was destroyed on Tuesday 1st July by order of the local court.

Even before the first rays of sunshine had woken the residents of this naturist village, thirty national and municipal police, together with agents of the Departmental territories and the sea (DDTM), arrived on the scene equipped with heavyweight construction [destruction?] equipment.

Their purpose was to destroy a part of the Le Tantra club, illegally built on the dunes. Demolition was ordered by the tribunal of Montpellier back on November 8, 2013 and was effective from April 10, 2014 according to a statement from the Prefecture.

On site, a barrier had been hastily erected by the owners of the club, preventing any intrusion on the site. The owner's lawyer had tried to extend the deadline, arguing that his client "had been given three months to dismantle the structure on June 16 because according to her, the first orders were initially sent to the former manager."

But this was all in vain.

Carefully, the workers first removed the roof of the building, then the frame before a JCB was brought into action to finish the task.

The majority of the residents appeared delighted that the law had been upheld in an area where other businesses were under threat of similar court decisions.