In France, drowning incidents—whether or not they result in death—constitute a significant public health problem, as they account for more than 500 accidental deaths each year and sometimes lead to serious long-term consequences. Among children aged 1 to 14, they are the second leading cause of accidental death. The "NOYADES 2003" survey was conducted during the summer of 2003 by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance and the Ministry of the Interior, Internal Security, and Local Freedoms (Directorate of Civil Defense and Security). For the second consecutive year, this national survey included all drowning victims, whether accidental or not, followed by hospitalization or death, regardless of location: private pools, public pools, rivers, lakes, the sea, and other locations. This survey recorded 1,154 accidental drownings followed by hospitalization or death, including 435 (38%) deaths. Fifteen percent of accidental drownings occurred among children under 6 years of age, and 42.3% among people over 45 years of age. Two out of three drowning victims were male. The breakdown by drowning location was as follows: 172 in private pools (including 52 deaths), 66 in public or private pay-to-enter pools (including 5 deaths), 153 in rivers (including 105 deaths), 156 in lakes (including 93 deaths), 560 in the sea (including 160 deaths), and 47 in other locations (including 20 deaths). The demographic characteristics of the victims and the circumstances of the drownings varied significantly by location: 49% of drownings in private pools and 61% of drownings in other locations, such as bathtubs, involved children under 6 years of age, most often because they could not swim and due to a lack of supervision. In public or private fee-based swimming pools, 65% of drowning victims were under 20 years old, for whom the most common circumstances were a medical condition, inability to swim, and risky behavior. In rivers, 68% of drownings occurred among adults (ages 20–64), most often linked to a fall and swimming in a prohibited area. In lakes and ponds, half of the victims were people under 25, for whom health issues (fainting, hypothermia) and not knowing how to swim were the main causes. At sea, 59% of drownings occurred among adults over 45, with the most common causes being health issues, exhaustion, and currents. The regions of Languedoc-Roussillon (197 drownings, including 49 deaths), Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (162 drownings, including 66 deaths), Aquitaine (124 drownings, including 40 deaths), Rhône-Alpes (96 drownings, including 41 deaths), Pays-de-la-Loire (90 drownings, including 30 fatalities), Brittany (83 drownings, including 30 fatalities), and Poitou-Charentes (77 drownings, including 26 fatalities)—which attract large numbers of tourists—recorded the highest number of victims. These regions were the subject of a detailed analysis of the victims’ demographic characteristics and the circumstances surrounding the drownings. Among the victims, 54% were permanent residents of the department where the drowning occurred, 39% were French tourists, and 7% were foreign tourists. A 45% increase in the number of accidental drownings resulting in hospitalization or death was observed compared to the summer of 2002 (from 796 in 2002 to 1,154 in 2003) and a 73% increase in deaths (from 252 deaths in 2002 to 435 in 2003). This increase was most pronounced among people over 65 and in bodies of water. The specific weather conditions of the summer of 2003, the increase in the number of private swimming pools, and the absence of a prevention campaign likely contributed to an increase in the number of accidental drownings. (R.A.)