In Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, the violence of the bad weather surprised everyone.
A “very localized” tornado passed through the village and tore off the stone steeple of the church.
It collapsed in the nave, causing extensive damage where a mass was to be celebrated that evening.
“It looked like there had been a bomb,” Benoit Laurens, the village priest, told AFP.
The mayor of the commune Sébastien Berger confirmed to AFP that the passage of the tornado had been very violent: “For the stone bell tower to fall, I think that the power of the wind had to be impressive, because even if it was is exposed, even if it is not protected, there for a stone bell tower to fall into the nave, sincerely I think there was a very local climatic event.
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The roof of the village hall, where the ballot for regional and departmental elections was to be held on Sunday, was torn off, he explained, adding that around fifty buildings were damaged as well as vines.
No injuries are to be deplored, rejoiced the mayor. The elections will take place on Sunday in the premises of the day care center on the school premises, said Sébastien Berger. Other municipalities suffered significant damage after this stormy episode, especially in Ile-de-France and in particular in Alfortville where a building roof was torn off.