Olivier Bouygues, a billionaire and heir to a major French real estate and media company, is facing trial for alleged illegal hunting and environmental violations on his private 650-hectare estate in the Sologne region. The trial, held on September 7 and 8, 2026, at the Orléans judicial court, saw Bouygues and five of his employees charged with “unlawful organized destruction of a protected animal species.” The prosecution is seeking a fine of 750,000 euros for Bouygues, along with a potential five-year prison sentence with probation and a five-year ban from hunting-related activities. The five employees face sentences ranging from one to four years with probation, fines between 5,000 and 20,000 euros, and the revocation of their hunting permits for three years. Bouygues denied the charges, saying he never supported the systematic destruction of protected species like buzzards, red kites, great egrets, forest cats, and hedgehogs. However, his employees pleaded guilty, admitting they hunted protected animals during the time they were releasing pheasants and ducks raised on the estate for hunting events hosted by Bouygues and his guests. A reward system was uncovered, offering 4 euros for killing smaller animals and 8 euros for larger ones. The employees claimed they were unaware that these species were protected and absolved Bouygues of any direct involvement, contradicting some of his earlier statements. During the trial, investigators presented photos of a site on Bouygues’ property dubbed a “charnel house,” a 15-meter-long and 5-meter-wide hole containing dozens of dead foxes, deer, and wild boars, as well as feathers from red kites and a grey heron’s beak. The site was described as a place where hunted animals were stored. A search also revealed 103 jaw traps, poison, a semi-automatic 9-shot rifle, and a red squirrel in a freezer. Videos of animal cruelty were found on employees’ mobile phones, showing a heron being beaten to death with a stick and a domestic cat being eviscerated and thrown into a ditch. Bouygues claimed he was aware of the charnel house but said he did not know it was used to store protected species. He also stated he had advised his employees to be cautious in the late 2010s due to growing public criticism of hunting and concerns about negative media attention. The investigation found that 380 wild boars raised in captivity were shot during the 2022-2023 season, with up to 600 to 800 birds killed in a single day. Environmental groups and wildlife rescue centers condemned these practices, calling it an “industrial system” that caused ecological harm and was unnecessary, as predators are drawn to resources like fish in ponds and wild boars in enclosures. A conservation biologist explained that killing predators would not prevent them from returning due to the availability of food sources. The trial has sparked a broader discussion about the relationship between hunting and the environment, particularly among the ultra-wealthy. The case has damaged the reputation of hunting federations, and seven environmental organizations have sought 750,000 euros in damages to fund efforts to restore natural areas. The court has postponed the final judgment until October 23.