The frost of the last days has caused considerable damage to many productions in France.

Europe 1 went to Gironde, to the Château des Antonins in Pondaurat, to see the extent of the losses.

"We lost everything that had come out" in bud, explains winemaker Antoine de Roquefeuil at the microphone of Europe 1.

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In Pondaurat, in Gironde, the Château des Antonins and its 30 hectares of vines have not escaped the exceptional episode of frost which has affected a very large part of French vineyards in recent days.

At the end of the rows, the black traces of the straw that was burnt during two freezing nights in an attempt to counter the cold are still visible.

These fires were in vain: the area was completely affected.

"This is touched, this is touched, this is cooked", notes, annoyed, the winemaker Antoine de Roquefeuil at the microphone of Europe 1 passing through the ranks.

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"A terrible blow to morale"

The lines drawn, he thinks back to this "sun which was very persistent from 8 am" in the morning, after the frosts, and which led "to a rapid blackening of the affected parts". "We had temperatures down to -6 ° C ", he says.

Helping residents of his village to burn between 150 and 180 balls of straw and hay did nothing.

"We lost everything that had come out" in bud, loose Antoine de Roquefeuil.

"The impact is terrible on the vineyards of Bordeaux", observes Bernard Farges, the president of the Interprofessional Council of Bordeaux wine, on Saturday on Europe 1. This one evokes "a terrible blow to the morale", in a context already complicated by the economic crisis and the closing of restaurants, for which it is still "difficult to give figures".

"And behind a global figure, there are particular situations, with wine growers who today are not very affected and others who are 80% or 100% affected," he adds.

The question of aid already on the table

At the Château des Antonins, because of the frost, we will not produce as many red, rosé and white wines as usual.

But limiting the breakage still seems possible.

"The buds which have not come out, a priori, should come out", indicates Antoine de Roquefeuil.

"I hope to get the two bunches per branch. And on what has frozen and which had already come out, we have a second bud that will come out, the counter bud. If we have a good flowering, not too hot for the flower and not too much water, we can hope to make 50% of the yield. "

This would allow him to come out of this freezing episode with less pain.

An outcome for which Antoine de Roquefeuil would gladly sign, while 22 hectares of his 30 hectares had already been affected by the frost in 2017. The winegrower may also be able to count on aid, which has begun to be the subject of discussions.

Invited on Saturday on Europe 1, the president of the Young Farmers' union, Samuel Vandaele, indicated that a new point would take place on Monday on this subject with the Minister of Agriculture, Julien Denormandie "to see what we can put in place on funds, insurance, support "for these professionals.

"The fruits are likely to be much more expensive"

Especially since "10 regions" of metropolitan France "are concerned", recalls Samuel Vandaele, and not only for the vines.

Arboriculture and certain major crops, such as beets, wheat or rapeseed, are also among the productions affected.

"There may be much less fruit, grapes and French wines available" to consumers, also notes the president of Young Farmers.

And as the cold snap did not only affect France, "the fruits are likely to be much rarer and, therefore, much more expensive."

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The government has already announced that it will deploy the agricultural calamity regime, which may lead to compensation.

But for Bernard Farges, "announcing emergency measures is not the right device".

"This wine (not produced) will not be on the market in 12 months, even 18 months. The economic worries of freezing are offset. Rather than quick announcements, we need to have a commitment of support for when there will be the real difficulty, ”he believes.

In the immediate future, the winegrowers fear above all a second wave of frost which could occur at the beginning of next week.

For Samuel Vandaele, "it could be the second blow of the hammer… and the last".