MWehell, happiness. On a daily basis, the 192 souls of this village perched in the heart of Lot-et-Garonne savor their quality of life. Several generations of the same families live in this atypical commune, where we learn over the decades to tame the river. Besides, here, the river is personified: we are not talking about the Garonne. But from Garonne. Like a great lady.
A village of irreducible. Which does not resist the invader but to the state. Which would like to impose on him, in the event of a flood, the evacuation. A big word to Monheur, where, for decades, the inhabitants have always got into the habit of staying at home when Garonne makes their back – very – round.
“You have to adapt”
Because if the village is quickly surrounded by the waters when it leaves its bed (from 8.50 meters, the village is isolated), the floors of the dwellings, they remain dry. The inhabitants have learned from these phenomena. And organize themselves. “Thirty years ago, we lived in Garonne. Today, we live next to it… ”There are no more boats in Monheur, the economic activity of the town is much less dependent on the river. But the village lives with it. With floods too. That he has always overcome. “Before, when Garonne was overflowing, it was even a party. »»
So when the prefecture, at the turn of a flood exercise organized a few weeks ago, imposed on Mayor José Armand an evacuation from 7.50 meters, the elected official and its inhabitants laugh. YELLOW. “Now, in the event of a flood, they also want to cut electricity. They don’t want to tell us from what height … it is necessary. We must warn the inhabitants. “Because the state should not be fooled, according to the elected officials Muheuxais: the residents,” except perhaps some neorural “, will not evacuate. “Floods are part of life. Monheux has no dike and is located in an area for spreading floods … You have to adapt. We have always adapted. We know that from 9 meters, four houses are flooded, five from 9.10 meters, etc. »»
Save material and cultures
Staying would even be essential. For the elderly, who cannot leave their homes. For farmers too, and their cultures. Over the rise of waters, they are organized. Michel Manec, retired, once produced strawberries and tobacco on the plain. “Evacuating is nonsense. With Vigicrues, I have always organized myself. The day before, I was preparing. I moved the sensitive equipment, I was sheltering my tobacco … Then I watched the water level day by day, and I rose the business at risk as you go. At home, the ground floor is a crawl space. The floors are the living parts of the house. “All my catches are 1.50 meters from the ground. If we evacuate, when can we come back? When Garonne withdraws, it is essential to be there, to clean the mud. Because afterwards, it dries and it’s impossible. »»
Pragmatic arguments. To which the state remains hermetic? “We can easily dialogue with the current prefect and sub-prefect. They understand our point of view. But they too have constraints and obligations to be respected. »»
The water heights presented by the state during this exercise, “it’s fiction”, breathes the first councilor. Which evokes, in a word, the existing distance between the alleys of Monheux and the offices of the state. “We have a sense of reality on the ground. »»
Survival
During a public meeting, the elected official presented the inhabitants the new directives. “To people who will not want to evacuate, in the event of an electricity cut, we then advised them to arrange a survival part. With foodstuffs, an oil stove, to last a few days. Without current, he is hardly worried about the inhabitants of the town. “There will always be solidarity. “It is a little more so for people isolated in so -called places …” Without electricity, no phone. How will they do if they need help? »»
“It happens that she goes up 30 centimeters per hour … It takes 10 hours to do three meters … we can anticipate”
Likewise, the councilor points to a logistical difficulty: “I am asked to enforce the evacuation. OK. But how, with what means? José Armand, who is not an elected suicide bomber, assures him: during the floods, Garonne arrives slowly. And she leaves. “It is not a torrent. When it is fast, it happens that it goes up 30 centimeters per hour … It takes 10 hours to do three meters … you can anticipate. »»
The last flood of this name dates back to 2021, with 9.53 meters at the Tonneins scale. The most important remains that of 1981, with 10.50 meters. Since then, we can no longer build in the town. The flood risk prevention plan (PPRI) prohibits it. “In thirty years, we have passed from 450 to 192 inhabitants …”
