Published on 12/11/2024 15:53
Reading time: 1min – video: 2min
In Manche, a farmer and his wife become the first climate displaced persons in the department
In Manche, a farmer and his wife become the first climate displaced persons in the department
(France 2)
David Lecordier, a farmer in the English Channel, is forced to pack his bags as the sea encroaches on his property. He tells the France Télévisions teams about the transformation of the landscape, which he has seen swallowed up over the years by the sea at an alarming speed.
In Montmartin-sur-Mer, in Manche, David Lecordier is preparing to say goodbye to the land of his childhood. Today, he barely recognizes her. Because in twenty years, the sea has already eaten away more than a hectare of its fields. “We always said that she would regain her rights, but it was not a subject that concerned us”explains the farmer.
“It started in 1999 with a first breach”David remembers, pointing to the ancient dune on the horizon, now covered by the sea. “In the five, six or ten years that followed, this dune disappeared”he said. The rising waters are inexorable and the sea is gaining ground towards his farm. Regularly flooded, exploitation is threatened. Therefore, David and his wife pack up. They will be the first climate displaced persons in the Channel. The coastal conservatory will buy their farm and compensate them.
Watch the full report in the video above.
