Residents pull together as flood clean-up continues across western France

Residents in several flood-hit communities across western France are rallying together as the clean-up phase intensifies following February’s historic floods.

With water levels now receding in parts of Maine-et-Loire, Charente-Maritime and Sarthe after an unseasonably wet period, attention has shifted from emergency evacuations to clearing mud, salvaging belongings and supporting neighbours through the long recovery ahead.

In the village of Cheffes (Maine-et-Loire), more than 200 homes were flooded after what local officials described as a major rise in river levels. Nearly 300 residents were evacuated at the height of the flooding.

Hundreds volunteer in Cheffes

The clean-up operations in Cheffes are being coordinated by the Croix-Rouge française, which has deployed 186 volunteers from five departments since the start of the crisis. 

In addition, more than 300 people registered on a volunteer platform within 48 hours of the appeal for help, according to local organisers.

Teams of volunteers, alongside firefighters and municipal staff, are helping residents clear out waterlogged furniture, strip damaged interiors and transport debris to temporary waste collection points set up in the village.

“We are here to make sure no one is forgotten,” local Red Cross coordinator Maxime Coquis told Ouest France, as volunteers went door-to-door in some of the worst-affected streets.

Mayor Marc Dutruel said the level of organisation and public response marked a significant change compared with previous major floods. 

“The solidarity is impressive,” he noted, pointing out that during the evacuation phase most residents found shelter with friends or family, meaning the emergency accommodation centre set up by the mairie was ultimately not needed.

Reinforcements in Charente-Maritime

Further south, in the commune of Les Gonds, just upstream from Saintes, around 100 homes were inundated when the Charente river reached one of its highest levels in more than a century.

As the water level fell over the weekend, the focus turned to scrubbing floors, removing damaged plasterboard and returning furniture from makeshift raised platforms.

The municipality received reinforcement from young volunteers from the 3rd Regiment of the Service Militaire Volontaire in La Rochelle, who joined local council workers and residents in the clean-up. 

The mayor, Alexandre Grenot, praised what he described as the “forces vives”- the (lifeblood) active strength of the community - who have been working continuously since the flooding began.

Most displaced residents in Les Gonds were also accommodated by relatives, while retirement residences and care homes in nearby towns stepped in to house elderly evacuees.

Call for flood victims to come forward in La Flèche

In La Flèche (Sarthe) , where the Loir river peaked at 1.70metres in February - surpassing levels recorded in 2020 - the clean-up is also ongoing.

The municipality has launched procedures to seek official recognition of a state of natural disaster (catastrophe naturelle). 

To support the application, residents who suffered damage are being asked to submit details, photographs and a description of losses to the town hall’s legal department by March 11.

Local officials said compiling a comprehensive record of affected properties would strengthen the case put forward to the prefecture and help update flood mapping data.

Risk of black mould as damp lingers

Even in properties that avoided direct inundation, the prolonged period of high humidity is creating new problems.

Simon Barry, a self-employed contractor at Lezard Multiservices in Limoges, said he is already seeing signs of black mould developing inside homes.

“As far as I know, none of my clients were directly flooded, but I’m starting to see black mould growth because of the relentless humidity - today it was 87% relative humidity,” he said.

Closed-up houses are particularly at risk. Second-home owners, or those who have left properties shuttered during the winter, may face hidden mould issues if ventilation has been insufficient.

However, he stressed that early intervention - through improved airflow, dehumidification and specialist treatment where necessary - can prevent longer-term structural damage.