Tourists Return to Campsites After Bordeaux Wildfire Evacuation

Tourists evacuated from their campsites near Bordeaux due to raging wildfires have returned, expressing a mix of exhaustion and profound relief. Patrick Behrens, a 53-year-old from Lüdenscheid, described the experience of sleeping on hard ground for four nights after leaving his campsite in Lacanau. "I am calm now. But I am also tired from these four nights on hard ground," he said, having given his caravan to a friend while he slept in a tent.

Behrens and his friend Hartmut Borowski were among approximately 4,000 holidaymakers compelled to abandon their vacation spots as the fires spread rapidly, consuming the nearby landscape. Borowski was particularly relieved to find his motorhome intact after leaving it behind during the evacuation. "A weight has been lifted from my heart that nothing was damaged," the retiree from Ratingen shared. The group had found temporary accommodation further north but were eager to return to their long-favored campsite, a place they have visited for over 30 years.

"We are happy that we are back here with our friends now, and we just survived those days at the other place," Borowski added. "Now I am relieved." He looks forward to enjoying the rest of his vacation with his grandchildren. Behrens also emphasized the positive psychological impact of returning, especially for the children who were emotionally affected by the sudden evacuation. "With children, you never know what's going on in the background. And when they come here and see that everything is back to how it was before, I think it has a cleansing effect."

Despite their personal relief, both tourists acknowledged the significant suffering caused by the fires. Behrens specifically mentioned the municipality of Le Porge, where over 180 houses were destroyed. "It is a catastrophe," he stated, expressing hope that residents would receive swift support from authorities. Behrens believes that the region will ultimately benefit from the return of tourists, as their spending injects vital foreign currency. "But I think this area is helped in the end when tourists come back and bring foreign currency here again," he concluded.