François de Canson: "To the memory of the victims, we owe respect"

RESILIENCE This is a scar still raw in the collective memory of Le Lavandou. On May 20, exactly one year after the devastating floods that hit the district of Cavalière, a commemoration ceremony was held in the presence of many elected officials and residents. François de Canson, vice-president of the Région Sud and president of MPM, delivered a poignant speech, blending the memory of the tragedy with a message of hope and determination for the future.

On May 20, 2025, torrential rains had transformed this holiday destination into a torrent of mud, causing considerable material damage and, above all, the loss of two human lives.

In his address, François de Canson wished to refocus the event on its most tragic dimension. 'A natural disaster is not a matter of water, stones, infrastructure, or millions of euros. A natural disaster is first and foremost a human tragedy,' he recalled with emotion.

Evoking the two victims, he insisted on 'the irreparable', these 'two absences which, one year later, continue to weigh heavily on hearts'. For him, 'forgetting would be a mistake', he hammered, underlining the 'weight of absence, unanswered questions, the silent pain of those who remain'.

François de Canson : « À la mémoire des victimes, nous devons le respect »

SOLIDARITY In the face of the shock of the first hours, an unwavering mobilization was organized. François de Canson paid a warm tribute to this 'chain of solidarity where every link counts'. Firefighters, security forces, public officials of all levels, volunteers, and simple neighbors joined forces to face the emergency.

Sharing his personal experience as an elected official confronted with such an ordeal twelve years ago, he insisted on an essential principle: 'In those moments, no mayor must be alone. A disaster can only be overcome together. That is the strength of our territories.'

Beyond the emergency, the time has come for reconstruction and securing. The Communauté de communes Méditerranée Porte des Maures has committed nearly €1.3 million for priority works: clearing blockages in the Quicuile and Hubac du Bleu watercourses, restoring flows, reinforcing banks, and demolishing a collapsed slab near the Villa Mauresque. At the same time, the Région Sud, driven by its president Renaud Muselier, mobilized €400,000 via the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Fund.

In total, nearly €1.7 million has been invested to allow Cavalière to heal its wounds. François de Canson praised the 'exemplary capacity to recover' of this major tourism spot. Shopkeepers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, beach operators, and residents refused to give in to discouragement to bring Cavalière back to life.

'They refused to give up,' he said, welcoming this desire to see 'families, smiles, children on the beach' return. For him, this resilience is the key to reconstruction.

'The most beautiful victory against a disaster is not just to repair structures. It is to find a soul again. It is to see confidence return where fear had settled,' the mayor of La Londe-les-Maures declared once again.

Finally, this speech was an opportunity to look to the future with lucidity. Recalling that nearly 80% of the municipalities in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur have already suffered a natural disaster, François de Canson called for a refusal of inevitability. 'Our responsibility is to anticipate, prevent, adapt, and protect,' he insisted, mentioning the hydraulic studies undertaken with State services.

He concluded with a promise made to the territory: 'To the memory of the victims, we owe respect. To those who remain, we owe action. And to Cavalière, we owe this promise: to continue to protect this territory without ever giving up what makes it live.'