Hundreds of hardy swimmers in Santa hats took the plunge in the Mediterranean resort town of Antibes on Tuesday for the traditional New Year's Day dip.

Its white sandy beaches are better known as a summer retreat for the rich and famous, but the winter air and a few hangovers did not stop locals and tourists charging into the water at Salis beach.

The warmer-than-average temperature of 17 degrees both in and out of the sea took the edge off for both newcomers and regulars like 80-year-old Patrick Sagot, who said he saw no better way to spend January 1.

Traditional swims take place in many parts of France on New Year's Day but the Antibes event is the biggest on the French Riviera. For those who fancy something a bit more bracing, swimmers can take a dip at the other end of the country in the English Channel resort of Dunkirk.

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