Patrick and Isabelle Balkany have definitively left the Cossy mill, their historic property in Giverny, in the Eure department. The two former elected officials from Levallois-Perret were evicted on October 29, just three days before the start of the winter moratorium on evictions. This eviction brings to an end several years of legal battles surrounding this residence, the usufruct of which had been confiscated by the courts as part of their conviction for money laundering related to tax fraud.
The former mayor of Levallois-Perret and his wife, a former deputy mayor, had to leave the residence where they had lived for nearly forty years. Aged 78 and 79 respectively, they found refuge in a house made available to them by friends.
An expulsion carried out just before the winter break
The eviction took place on Thursday, October 29, a few days before the start of the winter truce, which in principle prohibits rental evictions from November 1 to March 31, except for exceptions provided by law.
The couple continued to occupy the Cossy mill despite several court rulings confirming the confiscation of their usufruct. This situation led the State to initiate proceedings to regain possession of the property.
On Friday, November 6, the Louviers local court confirmed that Patrick and Isabelle Balkany were now occupying the premises "without right or title." This decision clarified the financial consequences of their continued occupancy.
A monthly compensation of 10,437 euros claimed from the Balkanys
The court has set the monthly occupancy compensation owed by the Balkany couple at €10,437. This sum does not correspond to a standard rent, but to financial compensation for the use of a property over which they no longer held the usufruct.
The court set May 7, 2024, as the starting point for this compensation, corresponding to the date on which the Court of Cassation upheld the confiscation of the mill's usufruct. The sums are due until the couple's actual departure on October 29, 2026.
Over this period of nearly thirty months, the cumulative amount of compensation represents more than 300,000 euros, subject to the final calculation and any sums already paid.
A home confiscated after convictions for tax fraud
The loss of the Cossy mill originated from the numerous legal proceedings targeting former political leaders of Levallois-Perret.
In January 2023, the Paris Court of Appeal ordered the confiscation of the usufruct of the property as part of the tax fraud and money laundering case. This ruling was definitively upheld on May 7, 2024, by the Court of Cassation.
The legal situation of this residence has a particularity: the couple's two children have held the bare ownership since a gift-partition made in 1996. The confiscation therefore does not concern their right of ownership, but the usufruct, which notably allows them to occupy the dwelling.
In October 2025, the Agency for the Management and Recovery of Seized and Confiscated Assets (AGRASC) issued the Balkanys with a notice to vacate the premises, giving them two months to leave. The couple nevertheless remained on the property, leading to the continuation of the proceedings.
Patrick Balkany had obtained his conditional release to live in Giverny
This expulsion also represents a new twist in Patrick Balkany 's legal situation . In January 2026, the former mayor was granted conditional release after his conviction for tax fraud.
The sentencing court in Évreux had granted him this arrangement for the remaining eighteen months of his sentence, allowing him to reside at the Giverny mill. However, the public prosecutor's office appealed, contesting in particular the former elected official's right to continue living in a property whose usufruct had been confiscated.
Patrick Balkany remains subject to the legal obligations attached to his sentence, particularly regarding the payment of sums owed to the Treasury. His probation period is scheduled to continue until July 2028.
At nearly 80 years old, the Balkanys are staying with friends
After their eviction, Patrick and Isabelle Balkany left the Cossy mill for a house lent to them by friends. The couple, who had made this property their primary residence after the end of their political careers in Levallois-Perret, no longer have the right to live there.
The 19th-century residence, situated on approximately four hectares of land, had long been one of the symbols of the Balkany family's real estate holdings. In 2024, their lawyer explained that Isabelle Balkany's wish was to "pass away peacefully at the mill."
The eviction on October 29th put an end to this prospect. The couple's children retain the bare ownership of the property, while the State holds the usufruct following the final decision of the Court of Cassation.
The decision of the Louviers court also leaves open the question of the settlement of occupancy compensation accumulated since May 2024, the monthly amount of which has been set at 10,437 euros.
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