Grande-Synthe: Migrants housed in gymnasiums following camp fire The destruction of the one of the biggest migrant camps in France has left local authorities scrambling to find alternative accommodation for the residents, most of whom were fleeing war or poverty in the Middle East or Afghanistan. Around half of the 1,500 people housed in the Grande-Synthe facility are now lodged in public gymnasiums, awaiting a more permanent solution. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES