My Z News

Located on the western coast of France is the tiny commune of Penmarch. With less than 6,000 residents, it’s everything you would expect a quaint, historic French town to be – usually. As you’ll see in this video, what’s happening in the streets of Penmarch this week is less charming and more like being stuck inside a giant, unstoppable washing machine.

While the phenomenon looks like an explosion of soap suds, the explanation is actually quite simple. Penmarch is located on flat ground, at a particularly low altitude. Some marshland areas have even been filled in over the years to give way to more inhabitants and commerce opportunities. The port of Saint-Guénolé, where this very clip was taken, is known to be a dangerous place in rough weather, despite protection from two granite peninsulas known as Krugen and Conq. With a choppy ocean nearby, it only makes sense that high winds would bring ashore sea foam … lots and lots and lots of sea foam, as it turns out. 

Although the person who took this video doesn’t seem to be in any immediate danger, it’s important to note that the ocean, especially coupled with strong winds, can be unpredictable. It’s no wonder that bystanders can be seen recording the incredible sight, but when it comes to forces of nature, it’s usually best to err on the side of caution. That being said, we are glad we were able to witness something so rare and strangely beautiful. It showed us a side of France that we never knew existed. 

Read more: http://www.wimp.com/sea-foam-beachfront-penmarch-france/