Dominique Bricard brings the cider. Francis Fessier, homemade bread. Céline and Michel Pesnel, tomatoes, vinaigrette and wedding dishes, sixty years later. Laure de Barbeyrac, tuna and zucchini cake. This Wednesday, around twenty residents of this community place, known as “beguinage”, in Valognes (Manche), met in the common room to share a meal and discuss the charter of life. To live here, you must be at least 60 years old, not be dependent and have a strong spirit of helping others.
The place has only been open for six months. On the brand new 6,000 square meter property, facing the station, eighteen apartments and ten houses are arranged in a U shape with adjoining gardens. A structure inherited from the traditional beguinage, native to Northern Europe: in the Middle Ages, the “beguines”, singles or widows belonging to a spiritual movement of women free from the tutelage of men, lived, each in her own home, around a square courtyard. “It’s easy to meet, to say hello,” testifies Céline Pesnel, an 83-year-old resident whose curtain always remains ajar.
Each tenant pays rent of between 295 and 700 euros excluding charges. Contribution to the maintenance of common areas is calculated according to income. “ Living here allows you to delay the nursing home as long as possible,” explains Michel Pesnel, 83, who distributes tomatoes, beans and salads from his vegetable garden to his neighbors. Each resident signs a contract which commits them to participating in the life of the place.
A few dozen places, and hundreds of requests
If, sometimes, the tone rises in meetings, the tenants speak of a pleasant atmosphere. Before moving into a 56 square meter house, Dominique Bricard, 72, lived for three years in a private senior residence in Cherbourg: “I paid €1,700 for 45 square meters in a place with no social life. Here, it’s 820 euros all inclusive, and I’m going to set up a writing and singing workshop. »
At the origin of the project, Tristan Robet could not bear to see the private sector take over the lucrative old age market while the number of French people aged 75 to 84 should increase by 50% between 2020 and 2030. He created then the Béguinage solidaire association (without religious vocation). He explains this system in a book, to be published on September 28, written with the psychologist specializing in end of life Marie de Hennezel (Aging in solidarity, Robert Laffont).
To purchase and rehabilitate this mansion, abandoned for thirty years after having hosted a religious institution, the association raised 4.6 million euros (2.2 million euros are financed by solidarity savings and subsidies public and private, and 2.4 million through loans guaranteed by local authorities).
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