“Neither I nor my staff have slept for weeks, welcome Patrick van den Bogaerde. I have been here for almost 30 years and I have always been assured that my lease would not be called into question. La Tartine is my whole life. And it’s also the heart of the village of Lasne, it’s not just a bistro. And then I should accept the idea that I have to close in a little over a year? It’s unimaginable.
I did major renovation work in this house at the time. Far beyond what a tenant would do. The performance hall, the two bowling alleys, the outdoor terrace… I would have liked to buy the house, but its owner at the time Léon Jaumotte – who was also an alderman – did not want to sell because it was his family home. We got along very well and he promised me that once completed, the commercial lease would be extended for 9 years so that I would reach pensionable age. This promise was renewed to me verbally in front of witnesses. So I was perfectly calm.”
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A real estate project in the pipeline?
Léon Jaumotte having disappeared in 2012, it was his three daughters, ladies now in their seventies, who inherited the property of the building. The decision not to renew the lease is therefore theirs. And the explanation they gave to their tenant is quite surprising.
“I received a letter stating that the Jaumotte ladies are going to operate La Tartine themselves. As a result, legally, I would only be entitled to 24 months of compensation… This represents a sum with which I I won’t even be able to pay my staff’s notice.
In reality, I don’t believe for a moment that the Jaumotte sisters are interested in business. None of them ever held a business. I am firmly convinced that the project is rather to close La Tartine and tear down the walls to make way for a real estate project. Every day people come to talk to me about it . The noises are very insistent on this subject. And there is no smoke without fire.
In fact, it’s super sad for the village and my staff more than for me. La Tartine is still one of the rare places where people talk to each other, meet to share things… After that, the center of the village will be deadly. Moreover, the he antique store has also closed and I think others will follow. What will remain of life in the center of this village that I love and that the Lasnois love?”
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La Tartine is a bit like the community hall of Lasne
Because the village does not have a community hall, La Tartine, located just opposite the church and close to a car park, has become the meeting place for all generations. Many local associations benefit from free access to the room which is also used for shows, literary meetings, comedy shows, political evenings, for performances of amateur plays with the Compagnie de La Tartine in particular, or even a place of reunion after a funeral…
“In fact, I don’t understand what’s going on. This family was close to me. I always hope that my owners will reconsider their idea and that we will find a good compromise, in dialogue, and in the interest of the village.”
However, since his word was not kept, the boss of La Tartine is gearing up and has hired the services of a lawyer. He also notes that the case will not go before a judge before October 2025, if the conflict takes that path. “And there, if things go badly, in 13 and a half months, everything will be over.”
