Olivier Bouygues trial in Orléans: mass grave of protected birds on his hunting estate
Billionaire Olivier Bouygues and five co-defendants are being tried in Orléans for the destruction of protected species on his 600-hectare estate in Sologne.
Bouygues before the courts for massacre of protected species in Sologne
The trial of Olivier Bouygues, billionaire and son of Francis Bouygues, founder of the construction, telecommunications and media group, opened on Monday 7 September before the Orléans criminal court. According to franceinfo.fr, he is appearing alongside five other defendants for the destruction of protected bird species on his hunting estate in Sologne.
The prosecutor's office indicated that illegal practices had been "ongoing for many years on Olivier Bouygues's hunting estate". An anonymous denunciation triggered the investigation, leading investigators to discover, in 2025, a mass grave of animals on the property.
A mass grave of kestrels, egrets and harriers
Among the species found dead were common kestrels, great egrets, harriers, common buzzards and great cormorants. According to the hunters, these animals hindered the proliferation of game. Domestic and feral cats were also killed on the estate.
Gendarmes also seized prohibited equipment: weapons and around fifty jaw traps, prohibited since 1995. Investigators also obtained documents listing the species to be eliminated and detailing destructions already carried out. An excavator used to bury animal carcasses was also seized.
A "bonus system" described by the prosecutor
The public prosecutor of Orléans, Emmanuelle Bochenek-Puren, clarified that the facts are "denied in whole or in part depending on the individuals involved". She added that "the evidence gathered describes a bonus system linked to the destruction of animals on the hunting estate, among which are protected species".
The six defendants face up to seven years' imprisonment and €750,000 in fines.
Fontenaille estate: 600 hectares in the Loiret
The alleged facts took place at the Fontenaille estate, property of Olivier Bouygues, which extends over 600 hectares at La Ferté-Saint-Aubin, in the Loiret. Sologne, France's second largest forest area, is a hunting territory prized by France's great fortunes.
Source: Google News LU FR