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Since the devastating storm Xynthia swept through Charente Maritime and neighbouring Vendee at the end of February, authorities have been preparing a map of ‘black zones’ where properties will have to be destroyed, and residents relocated.

Immediately following the storm, President Sarkozy declared that people would not be allowed to return to live in high risk areas, and last week a series of maps were issued by authorities showing the properties that will have to be demolished.  For Charente Maritime, you can view the maps by clicking the links below (which were published on LePoint.fr):

Commune d'Aytré

Commune de Saint-Georges d'Oléron et Saint-Pierre d'Oléron - Boyardville

Commune de Charron - Le bourg

Commune de Charron

Commune de Fouras - Pointe de la fumée

Commune de l'Ile d'Aix

Commune de la Tremblade - Ronce-les-Bains

Commune de la Flotte en Ré

Commune de La Rochelle - Le Bout Blanc

Commune de La Rochelle - Port Neuf

Commune de Chatelaillon et de Yves - Les Boucholeurs

Commune de Loix en Ré [link not working]

Commune de Nieul sur Mer - Lauzières

Commune de Port des Barques

Commune de Saint-Clément des Baleines

Commune de Saint-Trojan les Bains

Commune de Sainte-Marie de Ré

Areas have been categorised into zones, with black zones denoting areas where there is a proven risk to life and where properties will be demolished, and yellow zones denoting areas where the risk can be managed through modifications to property, changes to regulations, and early warning alarms.  Orange zones are areas where further expert analysis is needed to determine whether a final grading of yellow or black is appropriate.

People whose property is within a black zone are expected to be fully compensated, with the state and insurers expected to pay out the market price that the property would have been worth before the storm.

President of the Charente Maritime general council Domenique Bussereau announced some more positive news on Friday, with the proposed 6% tax increase for Charente Maritime residents being scrapped.  He also indicated that not all of the properties contained within a black zone would have to be destroyed, where other solutions could be found.

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