George and Amal Clooney were among the hundreds forced to flee their homes in a historic French town last week amid the devastating wildfires sweeping across Europe. The fate of the couple's chateau in Brignoles was left uncertain after a fire broke out near the area last Wednesday and burned around 320 acres.
After the Clooneys and their nine-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, evacuated alongside roughly 600 residents, the local mayor provided a significant update. The mayor of Brignoles, Didier Brémond, confirmed in the evening on 30 July that all residents could return home.
"The afternoon was calm. Firefighters maintained a constant watch. A few plumes of smoke were observed (some of you may have seen them)," he wrote on Facebook alongside photos of the fire devastation in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
© GC Images"This evening and tonight, monitoring continues. Helicopters are present for surveillance until nightfall and also to extinguish any potential fumaroles.
He continued: "Today I visited the various sites of the fire and met with some of the owners. The RD 12 will remain closed between Intermarché and Camps until mid-morning, or even late morning, on July 31st."
"This evening, all the residents of Brignoles were able to return home," he confirmed.
George and Amal speak out
George and Amal's 18th-century mansion in France has been their primary abode since they bought the property in 2021 for a reported $8.3 million.
Named Domaine du Canadel, the 425-acre estate boasts a tennis court, 25-acre vineyard, vast gardens, a 72-foot swimming pool and a private ornamental lake. The luxury home is where the Hollywood star and his wife have been raising their twin son and daughter away from the spotlight with 24/7 security for privacy.
While the Clooneys own property around the world, including a home in Lake Como, they've set down roots in France and were awarded French citizenship in December.
© Getty ImagesAs the wildfires blazed near his hometown, George wrote to the mayor to reiterate that his family would remain "part of this community".
"Dear Didier, at this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment," the actor penned in a letter.
"As we evacuate Brignoles, we want to emphasise two things: first, we hope you and the people of our city are safe, and second, that Amal and I are committed to making sure that whatever happens to our village, we are part of this community and we'll be part of making it whole."
He added: "We love Brignoles and our friends who live there."
