The house of Vincent Maquignon, affected by the floods in Blendecques, was bought by the Barnier fund. He was thus able to purchase a new house on the heights of Arques.
Just a year ago, storm Ciaran swept through Pas-de-Calais, causing water levels to rise in some places. A year later, most of the victims have turned the page, some were able to sell their homes and move.
This is the case of Vincent Maquignon and his family in Blendecques, for whom it is time to move.
“This is a new stage for us and for the children as well. We will be able to rebuild as quickly as possible, hoping for complete safety and never seeing all this water again,” declared Vincent Maquignon at the microphone of BFM Grand Lille.
The Barnier fund paid him 260,000 euros
A year after the floods, this Blendecquois has just purchased a new house on the heights of Arques. The Barnier fund paid him 260,000 euros because, a few kilometers from here, his former home is doomed to destruction. Vincent had owned it for 24 years. He still goes there every day, especially to collect things.
“Everyone tells us: 'Do you still have the courage and the strength to go through it?'”, says the victim of Blendecques.
He continues: “But we have to, because we still have personal belongings upstairs. All that remains is the rooms to dismantle, and then it will be over. But we go there every day, it still remains our house even if it no longer belongs to us today It belongs to the State.
Around twenty people had to abandon their homes
Until now, Vincent and his two children were still living in a furnished tourist accommodation. Now it's time to move.
“We recovered a little paving, some tiles to make our wood sheds, and that's it. All the fruit trees are also recovered. If we can save a little vegetation, she didn't ask for anything. Otherwise , it would be completely shaved and cut, it would be a shame,” he continues.
Like Vincent, there are around twenty of them in this neighborhood who have to abandon their homes. Some are already completely empty. The land will become a retention basin to protect Blendecques from future flooding.
Clément Kaminski and Solenne Bertrand
