Emmanuel Macron jet ski photo draws opposition criticism

French President Emmanuel Macron has drawn criticism from opposition figures after Paris Match published a photo of him riding a jet ski on the Riviera during France's summer break.

The magazine placed the image on its cover while Macron was vacationing at Bregancon Fort, the presidential retreat. It also published photographs of him doing other water sports, including foil surfing.

A member of Macron's entourage said the photos were not authorised and said unauthorised photos of the president had appeared every year for the past nine years.

Opposition politicians said the images sent the wrong message during a summer of heatwaves and deadly fires in France.

Greens leader Marine Tondelier said French people were enduring an "apocalyptic summer" while "our president treats himself to a promotional feature about his vacation." Socialist leader Olivier Faure said Macron was having fun on a jet ski "during a heatwave, while France is burning" and while many French people could not afford holidays.

Communist Senator Pierre Ouzoulias called the photos "inappropriate" and said showing the president on vacation did not match public concern.

Paris Match described Macron's vacation as "work-focused," saying an office had been set up and that the president spent his days on the phone.