Prevented from setting up their campsites 4, 5 and 6 in the Kergorvo area, from 2026, the festival launched an SOS at the end of April 2024. The reaction of Christian Troadec, who denounced “blackmail”, was strong . In recent weeks, the festival has seen several obstacles put in the way, including the ban on municipal services from interacting with its teams. Add to this the casus belli of the fee of €367,000 appearing in the annex to the agreement for free use of the site… The cup was therefore full, to the point that a crisis meeting took place at the house of the services of Carhaix, on May 29, to unlock the 2024 edition. Christian Troadec was represented by Gwen-Éric Keller, its general director of services.
“As soon as you move an ear, it blocks”
Under the aegis of the sub-prefect, Estelle Leprêtre, three hours of discussions led to common ground. The festival said it was ready to pay the €367,000 in the form of an advance for work. For the rest, no convention but seven municipal decrees, which allowed Vieilles Charrues to proceed with the assembly of its 2024 edition.
The Cold War continues, without the crucial issue of making campsites in the Kergorvo area available in 2026 having been resolved. “The more we advance, the more we are hindered. His only wish is that we get out. Why would a single person have the right of life and death over an association which offers 5 million euros in benefits for the City, and 2,500 direct and indirect hires? », indignant Jérôme Tréhorel. “We will do everything to stay in Carhaix but as soon as we move an ear, it blocks,” adds Jean-Luc Martin.
“Of course, I will go”
A new meeting is therefore scheduled for July 10, at 10:30 a.m., in the Châteaulin sub-prefecture. It will bring together the prefect, the president of the Regional Council, Loïg Chesnais-Girard, his counterpart from the departmental council, Maël de Calan, Jean-Luc Martin and Jérôme Tréhorel. Will Christian Troadec come? Will he appear before slamming the door, as he did on June 13, during the supervisory board of the CHRU Brest-Carhaix? Contacted on Friday, the mayor of Carhaix explained that the invitation had just reached him and that, “of course, (he) would go”, with the “unchanged desire to ensure that the major events can evolve in the best conditions” .
“We might announce that we are stopping.”
Whatever the outcome of this meeting, a board meeting of the Vieilles Charrues will be held on the evening of July 10, after the traditional plough pull, scheduled for 6 p.m. Will the festival remain in Carhaix? Will it have to move, with the near impossibility of being able to benefit from a similar site the following year? “We could announce that we are stopping immediately,” says Jean-Luc Martin.
Several festivals called by the mayor
The exit scenario from the crisis is, in fact, not holding up. During a recent interview on Radio Montagnes Noires (RMN), Christian Troadec announced, at the very end of his speech, that “the City of Carhaix has made a commitment, in the municipal office, that there will be a festival, whatever it may be, on the third weekend of July. We have already received several proposals”. In terms of proposals, several managers of major festivals attest to having received a call from the mayor of Carhaix. “Not him directly”, replies Gérard Pont, head of the Francofolies. “Yes, we spoke on the phone”, confirms Joël Bernard, head of the Fêtes du Bruit, who believes “he has enough to do in Saint-Nolff (56) and Landerneau (29)”.
“Sell at the price, and at Vieilles Charrues”
While waiting for July 10, several thorny issues await Christian Troadec. The pre-emption procedure, launched by him to purchase the disused buildings of the consular chambers coveted by the Vieilles Charrues, is, according to our information, the subject of an appeal by the prefect. André Sergent, president of the Chamber of Agriculture, reiterates that he will do “everything to achieve what we had planned: sell at the price, and to Vieilles Charrues”.
“It’s only one man who decides”
On the Poher Communauté side, another front has opened: on June 20, the opposition, to the great displeasure of Christian Troadec, rejected the approval of the 2023 administrative accounts “to denounce a mode of global governance. It is a single man who decides”, castigates Stéphane Cotty, mayor of Plounévézel (29). Rather than seizing the regional audit office, the prefect agreed to a delay, allowing a new community council to be held scheduled for July 11, and preceded by a negotiation meeting… on July 9. A quasi-festival, a political one!
