To the “unprecedented situation”, an unpublished response. The City of La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime) wants to inspect all public and private buildings as quickly as possible after the evacuation, on Saturday 25 October, of several buildings and about twenty residents on rue Saint-Sauveur. That day, firefighters calling for water infiltration found a property in danger of collapse. Two orders (danger and safety) were signed hastily. The Rochelai family who live nearby were able to return to their home after two days of waiting and “dispelling doubts”.
“About forty unhealthy properties are reported every year”
Tired of the idea of experiencing tragedies like those in Marseille and – to a lesser extent – Toulouse, the city authorities decided to go further. An “offer” has been ordered from a specialist company. Others can follow. The idea? It has a “global diagnosis” of the condition of the building, explains Thibaut Guiraud, mayor of La Rochelle. “We need to know where we stand. Feeling safe is an important condition for living together,” said the elected official who does not imagine finding properties in poor condition: “About forty unclean properties are reported every year, but none threatens ruin. »
The diagnosis, if true, would be limited to the scale of the historic city center of the maritime city. According to Thibaut Guiraud, an inspection of just the facade and roof can reveal potential dangers. “This visual control, including the back of the building, which is not visible from the road, can direct us,” he said. The first quotation is expected in mid-November. “If the envelope is affordable, we will include it in the 2026 budget,” explained Thibaut Guiraud. The City of La Rochelle determined that the building in danger of destruction located on rue Saint-Sauveur belonged to an elderly person. This eighty year old man would have been overwhelmed by the scale of the task and management of this property. In a city characterized by persistent real estate stress, it is clear that “the owners may not have done any work for years,” says Thibaut Guiraud.
