The old village's end
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« November 1973, the dam was watered
and the inhabitants of Les Salles-sur-Verdon had to leave their homes.
What's more touching than the transfer of the corpses from the old cemetery to the new one.
What's sadder than a village dieing slowly.
What's more distressing than to witness your village's disappearance, there where you were born, where you were teached reading, where you have always been.
What's more painful than the transformation of a green and merry landscape into a real desert.
What's more afflicting than to witness your houses fall, one after the other, through awful bulldozers. »
"VOLEURS", "PILLARDS", "ASSASSINS", "NAZIS"...
"THIEVES", "LOOTERS", "CRIMINALS"... everywhere on the walls of the village. Below, on the street to the church.
The dam's story (french version).
The details of the old village's death.
To the next period...
What's more touching than the transfer of the corpses from the old cemetery to the new one.
What's sadder than a village dieing slowly.
What's more distressing than to witness your village's disappearance, there where you were born, where you were teached reading, where you have always been.
What's more painful than the transformation of a green and merry landscape into a real desert.
What's more afflicting than to witness your houses fall, one after the other, through awful bulldozers. »
(from "Monographie des Salles-sur-Verdon",
told by Mr Simian François,
retired teacher of the Elementary School in Les Salles-sur-Verdon)
retired teacher of the Elementary School in Les Salles-sur-Verdon)
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General view of the old village, before the beginning of the demolition (september 1972). |
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February 9, 1974. General view of the old village (from the same place than above), after the beginning of the demolition. |
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The entrance of the village from Bauduen, before the beginning of the demolition (July 1973). |
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February 9, 1974. The entrance of the village from Bauduen (from the same place than above), after the beginning of the demolition. |
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The road down to the Verdon river, 1954. |
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September 1973 : the same road. The whole valley will be destroyed shortly. |
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 The church (January 1973). |
 The church (January 3, 1974). |
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January 2, 1974. The main square, the "Café Central" (pulled down), the Post Office. Since a few days, graffiti appeared on the walls of the village. In block letters, "EDF = VOLEURS PILLARDS" ("EDF = thieves, looters").
(EDF : Electricité de France,
french administration in charge of building the dam) Below, the same place seven months before. |
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"VOLEURS", "PILLARDS", "ASSASSINS", "NAZIS"...
"THIEVES", "LOOTERS", "CRIMINALS"... everywhere on the walls of the village. Below, on the street to the church.
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March 1st, 1974,
the last inhabitants
are evicted without clash
by the forces of Gendarmerie. They are Mr Richard and Mr Signoret,
which house already bathes in the water of the lake. Here, Mr Signoret's home. |
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How to know the picture above is EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE than this paradise in the shadow during "the good old times"? |
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How did we reach this point ?
The dam's story (french version).
The details of the old village's death.
To the next period...
If you are interested in the old village Les Salles-sur-Verdon,
if you have any documents or questions
concerning the old village Les Salles-sur-Verdon,
.
if you have any documents or questions
concerning the old village Les Salles-sur-Verdon,
.
Thanks !