'Xynthia tourism' angers residents
Local homeowners express their disbelief has curious tourists visit the flood disaster zone to take photos
HOMEOWNERS in towns ravaged by the Storm Xynthia flooding have condemned tourists who have begun visiting the disaster zone out of curiosity.
Residents in La Faute-sur-Mer and L'Aiguillion-sur-Mer say a steady stream of sightseers has arrived in the area in recent weeks, two months after the natural disaster that killed 53 people.
Some families have put up signs telling passers-by to stop taking photos of the ruined homes and stranded cars.
One local woman told France 2: "Every weekend there's practically a queue of people. They take photos - it's as if they are happy to be watching other people's misfortune."
Another added: "I really hope La Faute-sur-Mer does not become a pilgrimage spot."
One visitor asked by the TV crew what he was doing in the area replied: "There's no noise or cars, it's very calm."
Many of the homes in La Faute and L'Aiguillon are due to be destroyed, with residents offered up to €300,000 to buy or build a new home away from the floodplain.
Dozens of local demonstrations have taken place along the Vendée and Charente-Maritime coast since the zones noires destruction zones were drawn up earlier this month.
Photo: Xynthia also submerged buildings on the Ile de Ré - credit pep pe de Ré
