Located at the tip of Brittany, the town of Conquet (Finistère) is used to gusts of wind. But by its mayor’s own admission, the port at the end of the world had never experienced such a violent storm. During the night from Wednesday to Thursday, storm Ciaran literally swept the Finistère coast with a record gust of 193 km/h recorded at Pointe Saint-Mathieu, near Le Conquet. In the aftermath of the storm, Jean-Luc Milin is on all fronts to see the extent of the damage in his town. Between two visits to affected residents, he agreed to answer questions from 20 minutes.
How did you experience this nightmarish night?
I was at home with the phone close to me. I was very anxious, my house was cracking everywhere and I was afraid my roof would fly off. I have lived in Le Conquet for 40 years and I have never experienced anything like this. It was much stronger than during the storms of 1987 and 1999. And above all, much longer. It was really very distressing. At around 4 a.m., the violence was indescribable. No one here has ever experienced a storm of this magnitude.
How did you prepare for this storm?
The day before, we had managed to free all the cars that were parked near the port. We also sheltered all the boats in the port of Brest because our port is not well protected. It was strange to see the port empty because Le Conquet without its boats is no longer Le Conquet. We also went around the town with the technical services to collect anything that could fly away.
Despite this, your municipality has suffered significant damage…
Yes, we enjoyed it! It must be said that we were on the front line too. We have a bunch of trees that have fallen on the road. The park bordering the town hall is very trashed. There are still places where traffic is impossible, particularly on the Kermorvan peninsula. Our employees are trying to clear the paths a little but they are overwhelmed and it takes time. Many homes were also affected, some found the roof of their house in the neighbors’ garden. There was also a lot of damage to farms with shed roofs flying off. I’m also going to see a family of farmers who lost their greenhouses and their shed, it’s very hard for them.
The town’s church also suffered…
Yes, it is very damaged. Tiles were torn off and two large blocks of stone fell inside the Sainte-Croix church. Luckily, the organ was spared. And the bell tower didn’t fall, that’s something. But the vault has been seriously damaged and there will be major repairs to be planned. We therefore blocked access to the church and closed the building because it is too dangerous with a risk of falling stones. And we called on a company to check the stability of the whole thing. We are a little worried because there is a new storm coming behind.
In this period of crisis, what does the role of a mayor consist of?
We go to see the residents, we go around the kitchens and we talk with them. Because some people are really helpless, they need to talk and vent their emotions. And it’s going to take a little time. In any case, we all hope that the state of natural disaster will be recognized. This would be logical given the extent of the damage.