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🇫🇷 France /Disasters & Emergencies

After the fire, Le Porge rallies to support its businesses

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Around 200 residents of Le Porge, France, gathered on the beach for a solidarity event to support local businesses affected by recent wildfires.
  • The event, organized by a local entrepreneur, aimed to encourage community support for businesses that suffered damage, with some forced to close.
  • Local business owners expressed gratitude for the initiative, emphasizing the importance of community spirit and the return to normalcy after the devastating fires.

In the French village of Le Porge, which suffered heavily from recent wildfires, approximately 200 people gathered on the beach dressed in white for a solidarity evening. The event aimed to support local businesses that were severely impacted by the massive fires that ravaged the Gironde region.

This is not a silent march, not a rave party or a drinking binge, just a citizen and solidarity act.

— Pierre-Alexandre JeandelThe local entrepreneur described the purpose of the solidarity evening organized for affected businesses.

Locals purchased food and drinks from the affected businesses before joining the gathering on the beach. Pierre-Alexandre Jeandel, a local entrepreneur who initiated the event, described it as a "citizen and solidarity act." He had previously appealed on Facebook for support for the village's businesses, many of which were devastated, with 183 homes reportedly destroyed by the flames. Jeandel hopes to organize similar events on consecutive evenings.

It's in these moments that you see people's citizenship. Sometimes you don't have to wait for the state.

— DidierAn artisan carpenter shared his thoughts on the community's response to the crisis.

The atmosphere on the beach was convivial, with attendees enjoying pizza and rosé. Didier, a 53-year-old artisan carpenter from a nearby town, remarked on the display of citizenship, stating, "It's in these moments that you see people's citizenship. Sometimes you don't have to wait for the state."

The goal is for life to resume, for us to move forward.

— Sylvain SallaudA local restaurant owner expressed his hope for recovery and normalcy after the fires.

Sylvain Sallaud, owner of a catering restaurant in Le Porge, had to close his business for two weeks. He expressed happiness at the turnout, saying, "The goal is for life to resume, for us to move forward." The fire, which started on July 22 in Saumos, spread across 42,000 hectares and destroyed 240 houses, with nearly 200 of them in Le Porge. Tens of thousands of tourists were evacuated from these popular summer destinations. The Union of Hotel Industries (Umih) of Gironde and Landes launched a campaign titled "Do not abandon us!" to attract tourists, noting that while images of the fires deeply affected the French public, they "do not tell the whole story" of these destinations now ready to welcome visitors.

Do not abandon us!

— Umih Gironde and LandesThe title of a campaign launched to attract tourists back to the fire-affected regions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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