He lived off nature.
But this one finally reserved a twist of fate for him.
Like many residents of Roya, Luc Fioretti, a father from Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende (Alpes-Maritimes), has found himself without any professional activity since this disastrous storm from October 2 to 3.
And in the stricken valley, economic activity is suspended as the reconstruction progresses.
The 56-year-old man owns two sporting goods shops in Tende and 13 km away in Casterino (known in particular in the Alpes-Maritimes for its Nordic ski center).
He is also the director of the French ski school in Tende and organizer of excursions in the sublime Vallée des Merveilles, very close by as the crow flies.
Forced into inactivity, Luc now lives thanks to the salary of his wife, general secretary of town hall.
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“With three activities, I never expected to find myself in this situation one day.
However, I was lucky not to have any material damage.
We had a decent summer season despite the Covid which could allow us to envisage winter normally, but here it is badly done.
I hope that we will be able to bring the kids of the valley back to skiing at least one day a week ”, confides the one who had the bad surprise to discover that he had not taken out insurance for the loss of operation.
"I thought, however, that this was the case since 2014, I am in the files, I think…" he laments, bitter.
“To brighten up the village”, the 50-year-old opens one of his shops in the afternoon.
In the morning, he gives a hand to the volunteers to sort the donations, to help the hard-hit population.
At the height of the crisis, when the Tende sector was completely cut off from the world, in particular during the “three days of total blackout”, he assisted the firefighters, supported repatriations, participated in the emergency.
"I walked in the mud, in the middle of the electric cables on the ground, with the collapsed bridges ... There was a fabulous mutual aid, we did the work", he positively.
The railway line suspended again
Luc Fioretti doesn't really have a choice: he now prefers to look to the future.
But what will be done in a valley literally bombarded by raging elements, deserted by its tourists and some of its inhabitants?
For Luc, no doubt possible.
“We need to find a normal life, that all donations cease so that the business resumes normally and survives.
"The salvation of his region will pass, he believes, by the return of a practicable road on the French side and a train from Nice via Breil-sur-Roya to Tende" with practical and multiple schedules ".
The only solution in his eyes to bring people back to this usually tourist sector.
However, it is not won.
If it arrives on the Italian side and opens up more or less the sector, the railroad, on the French side, temporarily restored from Breil after the crisis, was recently suspended.
Blame it on a subsidence observed in early December following the reopening of the temporary quay in Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende.
In the meantime, "helicopter rotations three days a week"
At the request of the Provence-Alpes-Côte D'Azur region, the repair work undertaken by SNCF is taking place "seven days a week", confides Philippe Tabarot, senator and regional adviser in charge of transport.
“We hope to re-establish the line to Tende on January 18.
But there remains a concern on the arched wall after Fontan which is still not reinforced despite the nailing in progress.
No risk will be taken on the security of the infrastructure.
In the meantime, we have, suddenly, restarted helicopter rotations three days a week.
"
In general, the projects of a green, different, new reconstruction, regularly mentioned by certain local political leaders, are probably one of the avenues of salvation for Roya.
“We can do that, yes.
I myself would love to offer my excursions to access the Vallée des Merveilles with electric 4 x 4s for example.
But for the moment we must survive, analyzes Luc Fioretti.
We must first find at least what we had before.
The idea of creating a free zone, with its tax advantages which encourage economic investment in a specific geographical area, could also be a lever.
However, the creation of this device would not be on the agenda.
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To get out of this very bad patch in the medium term, the ski shopkeeper plans to create a sporting goods store, in a new room, next to a tea room.
“I don't see how I can get out of it otherwise, I rack my brains.
"Too young to stop working but not old enough not to dare to consider relaunching:" Despite the difficulties, he says, I remain optimistic.
"
Our series in 6 episodes
1.
Roselyne and Michel do not know if they will be able to return home
2.
Luc awaits the return of the train and the tourists
3.
The new life of Alex, guardian angel of La Roya
4. To read Thursday.
With Ivan Mottet, the mayor of Saint-Martin-Vésubie
