VALLAURIS: Preparations are underway for the arrival of the king of Saudi Arabia and an entourage of hundreds at the family's mansion on the French Riviera.

Word that King Salman was expected got out when workers began closing off the small public beach outside the mansion and laid a cement slab on the sand so they could install a temporary elevator.

Protesting sunbathers got work temporarily stopped, but permits were later delivered on orders from French authorities — a sign the visit is imminent, though no one will say exactly when the king will arrive.

The head of security for the Alpes-Maritime region on Friday confirmed the beach will be closed during the visit. Francois-Xavier Lauch wouldn't confirm reports of a royal entourage of 1,000, but said that 400 to 500 rooms at luxury hotels in Cannes are reserved.

“Clearly this is good news,” said Michel Chevillon, president of an association representing hotel managers in Cannes.

“These are people with great purchasing power which will pep up not only the luxury hotel industry but also the retail and tourism sectors of the town, “said Chevillon.

But not everyone is happy.

An entire kilometre of public beach will be cordoned off for security and privacy reasons and coastguards will stop anyone coming within 300 metres of the villa by sea.

A petition against the “privatisation” of the public beach gathered more than 45,000 signatures in eight days.

“We recall that this natural zone, like all maritime public estates, is an intrinsic public property that should be available for the benefit of all, residents, tourists, French, foreigners or people passing through,” said the petition.

“We ask the state to guarantee the fundamental principle of the equality of all citizens before the law,” the text added.

“We're sick and tired of this messing around,” said a local woman, more succinctly.

“I can see it's normal that you need to guarantee their security but they should let us go for a swim."