Discontent is growing all over Douarnenez and beyond.
The Abri du Marin in the city of Penn-Sardin (“sardine's head” in Breton – the name given to Douarnenists), proud working-class emblem with a shimmering pink facade, backing onto the port of Rosmeur, is once again at the heart of a controversy, because of a real estate project.
“Enhancing the building, yes!
Make it a juicy refuge for bobo and other promoters, no!
Let's not let it go!
“, can we read or hear for a week.
The news, published by Le Télégramme, fell like a hammer blow.
This heritage property, built in 1912 and registered since 2007 as a Historic Monument (façade and roof), was of collective use for most of its existence, but is in the process of being acquired by the CIR Group, based in Bordeaux and specializing in luxury accommodation.
Designed to ward off the temptation of the bistro
The real estate developer, who has not yet responded to requests from "Parisien-Aujourd'hui-en-France", is considering, according to our colleagues, building nine top-of-the-range apartments there... A real blow for the inhabitants of Douarnenez and their families: "It's a whole symbol of working life and seafarers that we flout", loose Henri, 74 years old.
Les Abris du Marin, recognizable by their pink façade, are twelve in number in Finistère.
At the start of the 20th century, a sea lover, ethnologist and philanthropist, Jacques de Thézac, imagined these shelters for seafarers. », avoiding the temptation of bistros for their users.
“Most of our Shelters have had another life afterwards, closer to their original use, slips Émilie, 40 years old.
That of the island of Sein or Combrit Sainte-Marine, in Bigouden country, have become museums.
That of Concarneau has become a youth hostel… Why couldn't we do the same in Douarnenez?
!
»
Here, the private building, occupied from 1981 until the spring of 2018 by the editors of the magazine Chasse-Marée, has become more than dilapidated.
It was sold in 2018 to Stéphanie Stein, a Parisian lawyer, for the sum of €290,000.
Three years later, after having had countless works carried out, the patron found herself faced with a wall: no or very few partners to help her develop her "House of Lights" project, a place of culture and exhibitions open to all.
“I would rather see this building restored than in ruins”
Jocelyn Poitevin, Mayor of Douarnenez
L'Abri remained desperately empty until July 2021, when the building was put up for sale… for the “modest” sum of… €954,000.
The outraged reactions of the penn-sardins, who deplored the little work carried out, prompted Stéphanie Stein to withdraw the sale and to propose to the municipality, by means of an open letter, a discussion as to the future of the building.
A proposal that remained unanswered.
"We couldn't buy the building, we couldn't afford it," retorts Jocelyn Poitevin, mayor (right) since 2020 and vice-president of the departmental council, where she heads the social action commission.
The city councilor considers "not to have any value judgment to make" on the luxury real estate project in question today.
“We talk about social diversity, we lack housing, whether they are well off or not… she adds.
We have social housing, housing suitable for the middle class and there are also people who will be able to buy an apartment of this standard.
After all, the petitioners just had to buy the place together.
Me, in any case, I prefer to see this building restored than in ruins.
»
Housing between 6,600 and 8,000 € per m²?
Still, the discovery of a future real estate project at prices of €6,600 to €8,000 per m² (and areas ranging from 28.5 m² to 75.6 m²) still makes many Finistère residents scream with rage, in October 2022. “L'Abri du Marin belongs to the community and to the common good.
This place must absolutely remain a living space and must be the continuity of what it has always been: a place of exchange, of sharing.
Our towns are dying from the privatization of magnificent spaces which are the flags and the identity of our cities", annoys Jean-Marc, who, like nearly 30,000 people, signed the petition, "L'abri du sailor from Douarnenez must once again become a common good of collective utility".
The latter has just been updated, taking into account the latest news around the proud pink building.
A demonstration is already planned for Saturday 5 November.
A collective must meet to define the terms.