Marie-Françoise Forey, 74, left her home in Glos-sur-Risle (Eure) to sleep in her Twingo. The installation of a nearby cell tower is triggering severe symptoms that she attributes to an allergy to electromagnetic fields.
A nightmare that began in October 2025
Everything changed when the temporary antenna in Freneuse-sur-Risle became permanent. Very quickly, she experienced incessant headaches, nosebleeds, and fainting spells. Despite protective measures installed in her home (anti-radiation paint, shielded wiring), the symptoms persisted and worsened. On November 7, 2025, in despair, she put a mattress in her car, parked 2 km from the antenna. "I only go inside for 15 to 30 minutes maximum for hygiene. This antenna is incredibly toxic," she told L'Éveil Normand .
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity, poorly recognized
Diagnosed with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), Marie-Françoise joins the thousands of people convinced that electromagnetic waves make them ill. Although scientifically controversial, this sensitivity is said to lead 4% of the population to modify their homes or living spaces. In France, "white zones" are sometimes created for these individuals. However, relocating a cell tower, a strategic piece of infrastructure, proves virtually impossible despite administrative appeals.
Living in a Twingo in winter
Despite the biting cold (with wind chills reaching -8°C some nights), the retiree refuses to move in with her daughter: "That would be my fifth move, I've had enough." She alternates nights in her car with rare stays indoors when her symptoms temporarily subside. Her vehicle becomes her survival cocoon: thermal blanket, thermos, battery-powered radio. "In the car, I feel alive again. It's my freedom," she says, rejecting palliative solutions like temporary housing.
A solitary battle against modernity
Marie-Françoise Forey embodies the plight of those with electromagnetic hypersensitivity caught between technological progress and declining health. Her choice—car versus house—raises questions about our dependence on ubiquitous electromagnetic waves and the lack of official recognition of their suffering.
While operators are rolling out 5G, thousands continue to flee, literally, from the waves they deem toxic. A 21st-century paradox: sleeping in your car at 74 to regain your health.
