City dwellers provided temporary lodging by the Saint-Tropez city council: "Without this housing, I wouldn't have visited"
In the picturesque town of Saint-Tropez, known for its glamour and luxury, a pressing issue has been emerging: the shortage of affordable housing for seasonal workers. The first deputy mayor, Georges Giraud, has acknowledged the challenges in recruiting these essential workers [1].
To combat this issue, Saint-Tropez has been proactive in creating various housing solutions. One such initiative is the "seasonal workers' village," which was established to alleviate the housing shortage and facilitate the hiring of summer employees [2]. This village, located in a repurposed tax office building, offers 46 beds for seasonal workers [3].
Beyond the "seasonal workers' village," Saint-Tropez houses its seasonal workers in bungalows "here and there" [4]. One such resident is Julien Migret, a seasonal worker who has been given the keys to a prefabricated unit [5]. Julien, who works as a bartender at a port's lounge club, has decorated his unit with a string of lights, ceramic cacti, and a rug with palm trees, making it feel like home [6].
Julien considers the small decorative touches as what makes him feel at home, and he describes his decorated unit as cozy [7]. The purpose of these housing solutions is not just to provide a roof over the heads of seasonal workers but also to ensure the recruitment and retention of these workers, crucial for maintaining public service in Saint-Tropez [8].
In the past, Saint-Tropez has made plans for six beds during the construction of a creche [9]. Additionally, in 2009, the municipality created sixteen accommodations in an old school for its lifeguards [10]. However, specific details about the current housing solutions implemented by the municipality are scarce.
Municipalities in similar situations often implement measures such as building or subsidizing affordable housing or dormitories specifically for seasonal staff, regulating short-term rental markets, partnering with private developers, and providing incentives or zoning allowances to increase housing stock [11]. Without specific details from authoritative local government sources or news reporting on Saint-Tropez, it is unclear which, if any, of these measures have been implemented there.
For those seeking verified details, checking official Saint-Tropez municipal websites, press releases, or local news sources would be advisable.
In Saint-Tropez, the seasonal workers' village, established within a repurposed building, offers 46 beds to help combat the housing shortage and aid in the recruitment of summer employees. Beyond this, seasonal workers are housed in scattered bungalows, each with a unique, personalized 'home-and-garden' feel, as demonstrated by Julien Migret's decorated unit.
