Recent balcony collapses at gendarmerie barracks in Saint-Malo and similar issues in Dijon reveal deteriorating living conditions for military families. Residents describe thin walls, outdated electrical systems, and inadequate heating, impacting their quality of life. With over half of France’s gendarmerie barracks needing urgent renovations, funding shortfalls have resulted in a backlog of 2.2 billion euros in repairs. The government’s limited budget allocation continues to hinder necessary improvements, forcing some locations to close or relocate personnel.
Recent Balcony Collapses Highlight Deteriorating Conditions in Gendarmerie Barracks
On November 22, a troubling event unfolded when two balconies collapsed at the gendarmerie barracks in Saint-Malo. A similar situation was observed in Dijon, where our team conducted an in-depth report on the alarming state of one of France’s most dilapidated gendarmerie facilities. Although gendarmes are bound by a duty of reserve and cannot publicly discuss these issues, a military spouse, while concealing her identity, bravely spoke about her family’s challenging living conditions over the past five years. “The walls are paper-thin. We can hear everything from our neighbors, even the toilets flushing. The electrical system is dangerously outdated; every time I unplug something, there’s a spark,” she explained.
The barracks also exhibit cracks in the poorly insulated walls, which are inadequately patched with cotton. During the harsh winter months, residents have endured days without heating. “When the temperatures drop in the middle of winter, it becomes incredibly difficult for two or three days. We’ve had to boil water in a pot just to give our children a bath. It affects our morale because of the cold and the distressing situation. Our husbands serve the state, and this is the treatment we receive in return,” the frustrated mother expressed.
Staggering Renovation Costs and Insufficient Funding
Even though gendarmes do not pay rent, only utilities, another spouse admitted her growing frustration living in one of the 460 homes they are obligated to occupy. “We have no choice but to stay in the barracks due to service obligations, but we desperately want to leave. The moment we have a chance, we’re out,” she asserted. It’s worth noting that the gendarmerie in Dijon is not an isolated case of unsanitary living conditions.
Out of 3,728 gendarmerie barracks in France, the majority are rentals, with 649 belonging to the state. Alarmingly, over half, specifically 430, are in urgent need of renovations. How has it come to this? According to Bruno Belin, a senator from Vienne, the allocation for rent diminishes the budget available for necessary renovations. Some barracks even struggle to meet their financial obligations. “Decisions at the level of the gendarmerie’s general directorate and the ministry have left these important works unfinanced, despite their validation,” he elaborated.
Consequently, the national gendarmerie has amassed a staggering 2.2 billion euros in unfinished renovations over the last decade. For the upcoming year, only 300 million euros have been earmarked for the renovation of housing and public spaces—a sum that the spokesperson for the national gendarmerie considers inadequate. “Maintaining gendarmerie properties is not a one-off commitment; it requires ongoing investment each year. While the immediate funding is a step in the right direction, we need to ensure long-term sustainability,” emphasized Marie-Laure Pezant.
The financial shortfall has forced some sites to close, such as the gendarmerie in Creusot (Saône-et-Loire), where the mayor has acknowledged the facility’s deterioration. “This building does not meet the modern expectations for public service accommodation,” admitted David Marti. Officers from the Creusot gendarmerie will be relocated to a nearby facility, a plan supported by the local official. “If we can achieve savings by consolidating nearby gendarmeries without burdening taxpayers, users, or agents, then we must support it,” he stated.
While this closure will have minimal impact on the community, the gendarmes will have to endure a few more days in their current dilapidated barracks before the move.