Dear returning Carmageddon fans Image

These last years, the CWA Board assimilated what was archived from many old Carmageddon forums, including the whole of the Official Carmageddon.com Forums.
If you wish to merge any previous account you might have had with your new or existing CWA account, don't hesitate to reach out to us !

ZAD - Notre-Dame-des-Landes (Mad Max-like area)

For everything that doesn't belong elsewhere.
Post Reply
User avatar
Toshiba-3
BRender Actor
Posts: 5511
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 12:14 am
Location: MagnaChem Data Unit
Contact:

ZAD - Notre-Dame-des-Landes (Mad Max-like area)

Post by Toshiba-3 »

Hello there, I'm currently away in St-Nazaire, France with an extremely poor internet connection (feels like 1999, we have 48kbps at best). I recently went to a quite surprising area not far from where I stay...

It is the 'ZAD' right next to the little town called Notre-Dame-des-Landes. ZAD originally meant Zone à détruire (Area to destroy) but was soon modified into Zone à défendre (Area to defend). You see, this part of France has nothing particular landscape-wise but is still very charming and calm.
A few years ago, a politician wanted to build an international airport south of Notre-Dame-des-Landes to increase traffic for the nearby bigger city Nantes (and also be named after him). It involved destroying several farms, a whole wood, swamps etc. Would have also added a highway around the little town and down to Nantes to communicate with the airport. A lovely project.
But the people from the little town weren't keen about this, made enough noise and the project was suspended.
One year and a half ago however, that politician became much bigger (french prime minister) and started his airport project again, but much more expeditively. Within a couple of days, farms were demolished, people were relocated, etc.

Alarmed farmers and local inhabitants then made a large call for help, and the area was soon filled with all kind of protesting people. Alter-mondialists, punks, hobos, etc. There's been a lot of police violence during the opposition but in the end opponents won and the airport project was cancelled.
But a good part of the people who had gathered there didn't leave... :) Indeed, farmers had promised that in exchange of help, they could stay here and there with their camps, towers, junks etc.

I think you get the whole picutre now, we took some shots:

Image
Image
Image -> Fury Road haha!
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

From the shots you might be under the impression that the area is small but it is actually rather large (large enough to contain a big airport, mind you). People living in there are really scattered everywhere. Some right next to the ceized road, some in the middle of the woods, some far in the fields. Some of these new inhabitants are total hobos, punks with dogs etc. having no papers and in an illegal situation. Others are just people who took the chance to have another life and build eco-friendly projects and the likes.

If you are interested by the look of the area or the story, just google 'ZAD notre dame des landes' :swheel:
Image / carmageddon add-ons at road reaction
User avatar
coffeycup
Genesis
Posts: 4848
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 1998 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: ZAD - Notre-Dame-des-Landes (Mad Max-like area)

Post by coffeycup »

Wow, that's pretty wild! Of course when I first saw ZAD in the title I was thinking C:R file format. :lol:

I was looking at pictures of some of the protests on Google and the interactions with the police. Are they friendly to tourists? I can almost imagine them not wanting people sightseeing. :investigate:
User avatar
Toshiba-3
BRender Actor
Posts: 5511
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 12:14 am
Location: MagnaChem Data Unit
Contact:

Re: ZAD - Notre-Dame-des-Landes (Mad Max-like area)

Post by Toshiba-3 »

Punks and other inhabitants look rather intimidating at first but they are actually very friendly and welcome you for a smoke, drink, talk etc.
Some produce fruit jams, various seeds or offer to share knowledge about diverse aspects of their 'lifestyle' (alternative building methods, plant crops, etc.).
Mustn't be easy to live there everyday though.
They just ask visitors to respect their private areas ofcourse. A lot of them live in wooden towers or cabins in trees further from the main road.
Image / carmageddon add-ons at road reaction
User avatar
Deep_Blue
Road Puppy
Posts: 4554
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2001 12:00 pm
Location: In the Wind

Re: ZAD - Notre-Dame-des-Landes (Mad Max-like area)

Post by Deep_Blue »

Wow. Pretty cool. Google Earthing the place now.
***When I die may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline***
Post Reply

Check who’s online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 133 guests