Brittany village to destroy coastal homes due to climate change risk

Seven homes on the coast in Brittany are to be demolished as the local commune admits it can no longer fight the effects of climate change.

The village of Treffiagat, Finistère, bought the houses from their owners after they were deemed unsafe due to the risk of erosion and rising sea levels. The houses will now be demolished as a pre-emptive measure, as they are considered at high risk of being flooded and/or falling into the sea.

The area is classified as a ‘red zone’ by geographical risk agency Géorisque, which means that it is exposed to a very high risk of sea submersion.

Storm risk

It comes after increased numbers of houses in the area have required evacuation during intense storms. 

In November 2023, around 20 homes in the area had to be evacuated due to the passage of Storm Ciaran, and on Monday January 27 this year, the commune was placed on ‘orange alert’ (second-highest level) for wave-submergence, due to Storm Herminia.

Treffiagat has been working to strengthen protection of the area for years, with measures including the building of a dyke, adding sand and stones, breakwaters, and large wooden stakes designed to break the waves. However, the commune has said the sea is still encroaching.

The Direction départementale des Territoires et de la Mer du Finistère told Reporterre that by 2100 it is estimated that sea levels will have risen by at least 60 cm at Treffiagat, with this figure even considered by some to be an underestimate.

“The sea is stronger than we are, we cannot fight it any more,” said Stéphane Le Doaré, president of the Communauté de communes du Pays Bigouden Sud, to AFP.

“We cannot guarantee that the people living behind the dune will be able to live in safety in the long term. All the predictions show that the sea is inexorably going to come in here.”

Read also: COP26: New map shows 20% of French coast at risk from erosion
Read more: Coastal erosion: Hundreds of French homes risk becoming uninhabitable 

‘Unpopular’ decision

On the decision to demolish seven houses, Mr Le Doaré told Libération: “It is very unpopular, but it has to be done. The first will disappear from the landscape by March.”

The demolition project is set to cost some €3 million, the local authority has said. It considers this to be a sustainable investment given that work to reinforce the area has cost €1 million over the past 10 years, with future work needed expected to increase due to increased severe storms.

Some of the houses are principal residences, and some are second homes. “It is heartbreaking for everyone,” one resident said to AFP, while another local couple said: “This is ruining our retirement.”

The houses were, at least, bought from their owners at market value (between €280,000 and €687,000), with the state covering half the price.

The community is also planning a second wave of house buy-backs which will depend on the new coastline erosion maps set to be published this summer.