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Refugees transferred to France: a castle in Yvelines welcomes nearly 200 migrants
In Yvelines, a castle will accommodate nearly 200 migrants from Mayotte. The building which dates from the 17th century will be transformed into emergency accommodation. The mayor of the town speaks of a sudden transfer. – (France 2)
In Yvelines, the castle of Thivernal-Grignon will welcome nearly 200 migrants from Mayotte. The building, which dates from the 17th century, will be transformed into emergency accommodation. The mayor of the town speaks of “a sudden transfer”.
Since the night of Monday February 26 to Tuesday February 27, 195 East African refugees arriving from Mayotte have been welcomed in the castle of Thivernal-Grignon (Yvelines), until now uninhabited. A little serenity found for these migrants, after weeks lived inside makeshift cabins in a camp in Mayotte. Refugees entitled to asylum will stay until mid-March.
New occupants supported by Emmaüs
The installation is rather well received by the inhabitants of the village. The site has long housed an engineering school. Then, in 2022, several dozen refugees lived there for a few weeks. But Nadine Gohard, the mayor of the town, regrets “a sudden transfer without possible negotiation”as she wrote in a letter sent to her constituents. “The crisis in Mayotte is nothing new, I am a little surprised that we are making decisions like that so quickly”, she explains. The castle is now state property, and its new occupants are supported by Emmaüs.
