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ANIMALS

Noisy cows spark outcry from British homeowners in French Alps

Brits with second homes in a rural district in the south east of France have just about had enough of their noisy neighbours.

Published: 6 September 2017 11:22 CEST
Noisy cows spark outcry from British homeowners in French Alps
AFP
But it's not party animals that are disturbing the resident's slumber in the picturesque Alpine village of Biot but instead the neighbourhood cows with their noisy bells. 
 
To express their annoyance at the situation, around 20 residents of the village in the Haute-Savoie – home to a total of 600 people – have signed a petition to have the cows moved. 
 
The petition, signed “only by second home owners” in the village, according to mayor Henri-Victor Tournier, including Brits, Belgians, Corsicans and Parisians, complains of the “noise of the animals on the paths opposite the chalets and apartments of the Corbier hill”.
 
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AFP

“We understand that we live in the countryside and that there is a long history of cows, sheep and goats in the region,” they concede. “Nevertheless, the constant noise of the bells opposite, all through the day and night is unbearable. There are more fields, higher up, where the cows can graze.” 
 
In the village situated 30km from Lake Geneva, the cows – who provide the milk for the production of the delicious Reblochon cheese – graze close to the residences, are providing another service to the area.
 
“It costs us €5000-8000 euros to strim the grass, in order for it to be neat. At the moment, the cows graze it for us, it's pleasant…”, Tournier told Le Dauphine newspaper.
 
And the mayor plans to stand firm on the issue. 
 
“If the petition came only from people living here all year round, I would understand; but that's not the case,” he said.
 
It was Tournier who discovered – after checking the water bills of the people who signed the petition – the only people who had signed were those with second homes. 
 
The cows will not be moved, Tournier has said, adding that there is a major road nearby which “generates more noise”. 
 
And apparently for the mayor, “There is no question of banning the bells!”
 
However, he has said he will instead try to solve the problem by investigating the possibility of putting smaller bells on the cows. 
 
And on October 13th the people in favour of moving the cows will be able to present their point of view at the council meeting, he told France 3 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
 
 
 

PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Published: 14 February 2024 13:01 CET
Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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