In La Trinité-sur-Mer,
“It’s a time not to go out to sea. A time not to do anything, in fact.” On the quays of the port of La Trinité-sur-Mer, swept by squalls and heavy rain, Philippe hurries on to take shelter and join his friends at the local tobacco bar. In this “old lads” refuge, we chat this Wednesday morning over a coffee or a glass of white wine, with the topic of discussion being lousy weather or the Vendée Globe rankings. But also, of course, the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, “Jean-Marie” as they say, who died the day before at the age of 96.
“He’s a native of the country, so I won’t say anything out of respect for his memory,” says a regular here. It is in fact in this small seaside town in Morbihan, located between Vannes and Quiberon, and five kilometers from Carnac, that the founder of the National Front was born in 1928 in the family home. The only son of a fisherman father who died at sea and a seamstress mother. It is also there that his funeral will take place on Saturday afternoon in the Saint-Joseph church in the strictest privacy, before his burial in the family vault. “He won’t be the only personality in the cemetery since there is already the singer Alain Barrière,” slips Francis, an adopted Trinitan.
“Everyone respected their privacy”
In the village overlooking the port, it is difficult to find a cat in the narrow and winding alleys. “That’s how it is in winter here, there are only second homes and closed shutters,” says a neighbor of the Le Pen family home. It’s been a long time since I saw Jean-Marie, but we often meet his daughters in the summer. They are simple, respectful people who don’t make waves when they are here, and everyone leaves them alone.”
In this village of 1,700 inhabitants, not many people actually criticize the most sulphurous of French politicians, who never failed to recall his Breton and modest origins. “He was appreciated and respected here, not for his political ideas but because he is Trinitan and he remained attached to his commune,” says Arthur, in his thirties. “I in no way subscribe to these ideas which make me nauseous. But when he came here, he was in a private sphere and everyone respected his privacy,” continues Évelyne. Who takes the opportunity to recall that the candidates of the National Front and the National Rally have “always taken jackets in each election in the commune”. “These are not our values,” she asserts.
-A discreet house in the village
The fact remains that the Le Pen name attracts some curious people passing through the town. Especially in summer, when some tourists want to know the address of the clan’s historic home. “But no one will ever say where she is,” confides Laurence. In Brittany, we leave others alone, that’s how it is.” The house with the blue shutters is also very discreet in the village, with no mailbox or name on the facade. Far from the splendor of the Montretout villa, on the outskirts of Paris. “It’s just a fishermen’s farmhouse,” confides Florent de Kersauzon, RN regional councilor for Morbihan.
A long-time friend of the family – even if he had fallen out with Jean-Marie Le Pen “over a boat story” – he will be present on Saturday for the funeral, hoping that no excess will mar the ceremony. “The door must close and the family must be left in peace,” he assures.
“Jean-Marie Le Pen is not General De Gaulle”
Once the funeral is over, will La Trinité-sur-Mer retain its calm? Or will it become a place of meditation and pilgrimage for all Frontist sympathizers and admirers of Jean-Marie Le Pen? “There may be people at the beginning to lay flowers on the grave, but I don’t think it will last over time,” said Thierry, who lives near the cemetery.
Crossed not far from the village church, Francis abounds. “Trinité-sur-Mer is not going to become like Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises either,” he warns. In any case I hope so, because we already have enough people in the summer. But I don’t believe it for a second. Jean-Marie Le Pen is not General de Gaulle, nor a pop star or a football star. His name will remain in the history books because he was important in the French political landscape, but it stops there.”
Related News :