L’île d’Arcins bientôt vendue à la Métropole de Bordeaux
Patrice Benghiati will finally be able to sell the island of Arcins, owned since 2002. According to information collected by France Bleu Gironde, the Bordeaux metropolis will offer him a spring buyout offer. Both parties reviewed their copy, since two years ago, it seemed impossible to agree on a price
Patrice Benghiati agent more than the million euros proposed by the Metropolis.
A breathless owner
The 75-year-old owner has spent ten years looking for the right buyer and is tired of waiting: “I don’t have the energy anymore”. His island, Patrice Benghiati is reinforced there, “it’s a gem, it’s the only place you can breathe” he smiled. Rich in hundreds of plant species and home to many migratory birds, this haven of nature located between Bègles and Latresnes has been closed to visitors for several years. But with a return to the public domain, that could change: “the Metropolis has a good idea”, confides the septuagenarian. None of the elected officials in charge of the file wants to comment on the negotiations, but the initial idea is to develop biodiversity and activities in kind.
Twenty years ago, Patrice Benghiati bought this forty hectares on a whim, to half a million euros. The national agronomy research institute (Inra) has carried out research on fruit trees there. But at the time, the storm of 1999 ripped open the island, tore the dikes and the few buildings.
The natural park dream turns into a nightmare
Patrice Benghiati wants to rediscover the island magic of Corsica where he lived. “The goal was not to live there but to open it to the public, to make it a nature discovery park”. He began titanic works to install pontoons, bring water, electricity and even a wifi network on site. In total, it pays 4 million euros and chain them “galleys”. Administrative red tape and a dozen process with work companies discouraging it.
The owner receives many proposals from individuals, ready to pay the price to make it a water park or a private land. But he wants the island back in the public domain.
The piece of wild land has interested elected officials for a long time and in 2019 when the takeover by the metropolis takes shape, Alain Juppé hastily leaves Bordeaux to join the Constitutional Council. We must then wait for the arrival of the new president of the Metropolis, Alain Anziani, in 2020, to bring the island of Arcins back to the agenda.
The entourage of the owner, in charge of the negotiations, ensures today that the sale is close to being concluded.
Report produced with the students of the Institute of Journalism of Bordeaux Aquitaine, Ségo Raffaitin and Paul Loncient