A question:

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Permalink Reply by lauris on June 8, 2011 at 9:16am

Hello Harry.

 

This sign means that only authorized people can enter the area.

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Permalink Reply by Ed la mouette on June 8, 2011 at 10:03am

Services designates the companies which manages the riverbanks' site.

Ayant droits designates the people who are authorised to take this road to access the river, for example the ones who own little boats or little houses by the riverside.

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EducatorPermalink Reply by stu harris on June 8, 2011 at 4:18pm

In the South I've also seen SAUF RIVERAINS. Not a word you'd hear often in conversation.

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Permalink Reply by Neil Coffey on June 8, 2011 at 5:46pm

Although I think "riverain" is more common in French than e.g. "riparian" in English. Incidentally, as far as I'm aware the word "riverain" is standard French-- not necessarily restricted to the south.

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EducatorPermalink Reply by stu harris on June 8, 2011 at 5:54pm

I'm sure you're right, Neil. I didn't mean to imply that the word belongs to the langue d'oc, just that I personally haven't seen it elsewhere.

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Permalink Reply by Ed la mouette on June 8, 2011 at 5:59pm

You're right about the biggest frequency of riverain compared to riparian, Neil, especially because our riverain is not the exact equivalent of your riparian. While your word concerns something or someone near a river of other water bodies, the french riverain, while retaining this basal meaning, nowadays designates far more often the inhabitants of a given street. You can indeed see roadsigns into towns indicating accès/stationnement réservé aux riverains.

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EducatorPermalink Reply by stu harris on June 8, 2011 at 6:02pm

I'd also add that riparian is an adjective, whereas riverain is a noun.

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