Five years after storm Alex and two years after Aline, the valleys of the Alpes-Maritimes continue their reconstruction. The report updated in October 2025 shows visible progress. State services and local contractors are continuing the restoration of infrastructure destroyed or weakened by the floods.
Storm Alex, which occurred on October 2 and 3, 2020, profoundly impacted the Roya, Vésubie, and Tinée valleys. Three years later, in October 2023, storm Aline struck again. It damaged certain provisional structures installed after Alex and delayed several construction projects.
The prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes provides an update on the work progress: of the 126 reconstruction projects that were still ongoing at the time of storm Aline, up to the present, 109 or more than 85% of them are completed or underway: 83 or 65% of the operations are completed, 21 more than a year ago.
Seventeen projects have not yet started. There were twenty-three a year earlier. The progress is therefore real, even if some projects are still to come.
Roya, Tinée, Vésubie: dozens of projects underway or completed
The updated table of post-Aline and Alex operations lists several hundred interventions by municipalities, EDF, SNCF, SMIAGE, the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, and agglomeration communities.
In the Roya valley, most urgent works are completed. At Breil-sur-Roya, the replacement of the main lift station pump and the clearing of the EDF dam have been completed. In Fontan, erosion treatments on RD 6204 are finished at several points. The protection of the village’s crossing banks is still ongoing, with an announced deadline between 2026 and 2027.
In Tende, the reconstruction of Pont des 14 Arches and Pont du Bourg-Neuf are completed. The department has also finalized several interventions on ford crossings and eroded sections of RD 6204. Some projects remain pending, such as the Casterino dam clearing, “to be scheduled” according to the technical document.
In the Tinée valley, the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis has completed clearing of valleys and strengthening structures operations. Some interventions continue on bridge piers and banks. The SMIAGE indicates that “90% [of bank protections] will be completed by late November 2025.”
In the Vésubie, the communes of Roquebillière and Saint-Martin-Vésubie still concentrate much of the activity. In Roquebillière, the protection of the banks and the security of the sewage network continue. The joint association states that “90% [of the project] is expected to be completed by the end of 2025: awaiting electricity management pipeline rerouting.” Other works are planned from 2026 onwards, notably the protection of the wastewater network in the commune’s valleys.
In Saint-Martin-Vésubie, several reconstructions are planned on Boréon Road, Maïssa Bridge, Madone Road, and RM 89. The schedule extends until 2028 for some operations. Many structures are already completed: clearing of EDF water intakes, restoration of the Parc Alpha drinking water network, restoration of access bridges and the Vacherie du Haut Boréon.
The SMIAGE still plans protection interventions on banks in the Vernet valley and on the Madone sector. These works are part of a multi-year program. Several projects need to be coordinated with roads and water networks.
The State remains mobilized and supports the rebound of the valleys
In his statement, the Prefect of Alpes-Maritimes Laurent Hottiaux recalls that “the State is still present and supports reconstruction daily.” Since storm Aline, twenty-six follow-up meetings have been held to “identify and remove technical or administrative obstacles.”
The Prefect also highlights the progress of the so-called “Valleys’ Future” program, launched after storm Alex. This initiative, led with the Interministerial Directorate for Public Transformation, involves municipalities and residents in developing economic and social projects. According to the prefecture, “nearly 40 development projects [have been] selected and co-funded by the State in partnership with local authorities.”
These projects concern various sectors: local economy, tourism, agriculture, mobility, planning and housing. The aim is to support the valleys’ revival after the physical reconstruction of infrastructure.
The Prefect also insists on the implementation of the Barnier fund: “90% of amicable acquisitions for 300 eligible properties and 90% of the 130 planned demolitions have been completed.” This scheme compensates and relocates the affected residents to less exposed areas.
In his statement, Laurent Hottiaux adds: “The reconstruction of the valleys continues and progresses. Over the past year, 21 additional projects have been completed. More resilient provisional works have been carried out. I would like to thank all the stakeholders in these projects, especially the project managers, and salute the State services’ involvement in their role as overseer and facilitator of these projects.”
He concludes: “We continue this collective mobilization to allow the inhabitants of our valleys to be durably secured in the event of a new climatic event.”
The valleys of the Roya, Tinée, and Vésubie remain affected by successive storms, but the projects are advancing. The follow-up documents detail hundreds of coordinated operations between local authorities, public operators, and the State. Some works will extend until 2028, a sign of a lasting effort for the reconstruction and securing of mountain territories.
