French Authorities Launch Campaign to Eradicate Bedbugs Ahead of Paris Olympics
With the highly anticipated Paris Olympics just around the corner, French authorities are taking action to ensure that bedbugs don’t pose a nuisance during the games. Reports of these bothersome pests infesting public spaces have sparked concern among the public and reached the highest levels of government.
Social media users have shared videos of bedbugs crawling in high-speed trains and the Paris metro, while online articles have cropped up discussing bedbug encounters in cinemas and even at Charles de Gaulle airport.
Emmanuel Gregoire, the deputy mayor of Paris, emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue in a letter to Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. He stated, “The state urgently needs to put an action plan in place against this scourge as France is preparing to welcome the Olympic and Paralympic games in 2024.”
Transport Minister Clement Beaune has also pledged to address the problem with transportation operators in the coming week.
Despite these efforts, passengers at the Paris Gare de Lyon train station expressed doubts about the authorities’ ability to fully resolve the issue. Laura Mmadi, a sales worker, said, “I’m worried about it. I’ll keep my luggage closed to stop bedbugs from getting into my home. Once I get home, I’ll have to wash all my clothes.”
Sophie Ruscica, who traveled from Nice to Paris, meticulously inspected her seat for any signs of these blood-feeding insects. She remarked, “It stressed me out. I had to take the train and I wondered whether I would find bedbugs. But then again, one can find them in cinemas and just about everywhere.”
A report published by the health agency Anses in July revealed that between 2017 and 2022, bedbugs had infested more than one in ten French households, causing widespread concern. Sacha Krief, a pest control store manager, acknowledged the anxiety, stating, “Everyone is panicking. People can really get depressed, even paranoid over it.”
Deputy mayor Gregoire has also called on insurers to include bedbug coverage in house insurance policies, recognizing that low-income individuals often lack the means to hire pest control services.