Wilful Devaluation.

Above shows the close proximity between our friend's Tobacco barn right next to ours (still under conversion), and the holiday 'boxes' just behind her. The photo is a little deceptive, as they are much closer than it appears.

There are three, maybe more, properties that have been seriously affected by the building of our delightful hamlet's holiday village/restaurant/pool/shouting area/etc complex.

Devaluation of property values may not be met with tears from all quarters, but for those with mortgages based on original purchase price, it can be a very serious matter. Of course, I have no idea if any mortgages are involved here; but the threat of 'negative equity' is always there.

Luckily we, ourselves, are not overly affected by the 'Container Village', but several of our neighbours are. Our immediate neighbours, who live in a lovely old farmhouse, will soon have noise and crowds literally a few metres on the other side of their boundary fence; within a stone's-throw of their kitchen terrace. The old Tobacco barn, next to our own (above), now looks out onto the whole construction site (the pool etc has yet to be built). Another small converted barn backs right onto the site. And yet another converted barn, amongst several ruins, is right opposite where there will soon be constant comings and goings at the site's entrance. All of these property owners must be furious; the few with whom we've discussed the shameful affair certainly ARE.

A couple of years ago, if anyone had told us that a group of converted shipping containers would soon be planted in the middle of our tiny hamlet; we would have laughed. However, the local planning authorities, and our own village Mairie, have supported this outrageous money-making scheme, and brought untold misery to the few residents. The worst, of course, is yet to come when the village actually opens for business. Everyone (and I mean everyone) who knows about the project, is horrified.

The more the site advances, the more I despair. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to spend their precious Summer holidays in such an environment, but no doubt some will. You'd have to enjoy sitting in cramped conditions, shoulder to shoulder with other families, their dogs, radios, and children, amongst all the noise and chaos that that brings. Your only peace would come from locking yourself back into your own tiny metal box.

Why on earth he didn't think a little more carefully about his project, I don't know. Our only saviour will be total rejection by the holidaying public, and the project will die a natural death. The question will then be; what will he do with two rows of half-covered empty metal boxes?

The man at the helm is a nice enough guy, but why he was allowed to progress with this crazy project astounds us all.

Meanwhile the property values of those houses most affected have been severely reduced; they have become almost unsaleable. One resident is actually an Estate Agent, and has probably suffered the most. For a once highly desirable small hamlet, this has been a disaster.

If Macron wishes to attract popularity (around here, anyway), he should have the whole site bulldozed.