PRAIA DE COPACABANA E LEME

Copacabana is certainly the most famous beach in the world.

From Leme to Copacabana Fort, the Orla (beach) is 4.15 kilometers long. Its Portuguese-inspired wave-shaped pavements are frequented by millions of Cariocas and tourists who stroll along taking the time to appreciate this magical place. Although it has lost its title as the city's most chic beach to Ipanema, it is still a must-see. Here, one comes to benefit from the good rolls of the waves, while taking guard because the current can be strong. The contemplative tourist will admire the bronze statue of the poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade sitting on a bench on the promenade. As on all the beaches of Rio, lifeguard posts line the beach. The most famous one in Copacabana is posto 6, the one for pensioners and fishermen. Like all the beaches in Rio, the lifeguard stations and the beaches around them have a specific sociological profile. Here, surfers, there, families.

Frequented at all hours by Cariocas, tourists and street vendors, it is one of Rio's main attractions. Surfers, hedonists and joggers cross it in an almost uninterrupted ballet. It is especially at weekends that one understands the attraction of the Brazilians for the beach. On Sundays, the Avenida Atlântica is closed to traffic and joggers, cyclists and rollerbladers meet there. It is dotted with small shacks where you can sip an agua de coco for 5 reais, and is lined, on the other side of the Avenida Atlântica, with cafés-restaurants living by and for tourism.

It is here that the New Year's fireworks are fired each year, and that the great popular gatherings are held (concerts and victory of the football team in particular). In 2013, nearly 3 million young Brazilians gathered there to pray at the closing of the World Youth Day in the presence of Pope Francis! What could be more natural than that this postcard of a city was chosen to host the beach volleyball competitions during the 2016 Olympics?

The Leme section, at the end on the left of Copacabana beach(postos 1 and 2), is certainly the best part of the bay: the beach is wide, the water is often cleaner than elsewhere on Copacabana, we are at the foot of the morro de Leme, almost in the greenery, and the traffic is much less. To test!