Thionville. At 93, Marguerite houses young people “to be of service”

The coronavirus? Not even afraid ! At 93, Marguerite de Beaumont is part of this generation that has seen others. “I grew up under the bombs, in Le Havre, during the war, so the covid…” The nonagenarian takes all the same precautions: little or no going out, mask on the face, counted visits.

She longs for her grandchildren but makes up for it with an astonishing presence by her side: Evelin, 25, straight from Hungary. “In fact, I have been in France for some time. I studied in Marseille, in 2D animation… ”At the start of the school year, she was accepted at the University of Luxembourg to complete her course. It was at this point that she entered the life of Marguerite, where she rents a room upstairs.

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One Roof, two generations

The two women were put in touch by Un Toit, deux generations, an association which has come under the control of the SOS group and which promotes intergenerational sharing in Lorraine. A concept that allows people over 60 not to fall into isolation and young people to find low-cost housing. Evelin recognizes that the financial aspect played a role, but the human experience guided her choice. “I told myself that it could be enriching …”

The young woman finds that she is “lucky” to have met Marguerite. The latter leaves him with a bedroom and a bathroom upstairs. “Everyone makes their own life. We don’t see each other a lot, especially at the moment: we are very careful… ”

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Open up to others

Marguerite de Beaumont has been welcoming young people under her roof for six years in exchange for a very small rent. Foreign students, for the most part, far from their families. Many come back to embrace this loving grandmother with whom ties have necessarily been forged. “These young people are the age of my grandchildren: it is a generation with which I feel good. Comfortable, ”she confides. Energetic and independent, she says she doesn’t need a chaperone to keep her company. “I find that too many young people do not have an easy life so I do this to be of service,” she says. Above all, she thinks that older people should be more likely to open their large empty houses, like her. Okay, but now we might wait to let the covid pass …

Information: www.untoit2generations.fr

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