NÎMES Varied start for the municipal council

The municipal council met and returned to school after a rather calm summer. The mayor, Jean-Paul Fournier, took the opportunity to undergo a small operation and returned to chair the session.

It is he who begins: “ After a period of convalescence, I am happy to see you again for this back-to-school municipal council. I would like to thank the agents of the Nîmes University Hospital whose dedication greatly helped me. My thanks also go to everyone who gave me their support during this period. »

The mayor also welcomed the appointment of Michel Barnier as Prime Minister. And the mayor resumed to address more local subjects: “ The Nîmes, like the visitors, responded during the summer period with the Nîmes Festival bringing together 190,000 people in the arenas, the arrival of a stage of the Tour de France, the show La Légende des Jardins, the Jeudis de Nîmes , with the added bonus of organizing two Camargue races, classical concerts, and of course, the Harvest Feria. »

Jean-Paul Fournier was satisfied with the positive tourist results during this summer season. And the first year of Maison Carré’s UNESCO listing with an 11% increase in attendance. He continues: “ I strongly condemn the fire at the joint police station in the Pissevin district last August. This is a new episode in the fight we are waging against violence and trafficking. We must hold on! The current destruction of the Richard Wagner gallery is a significant act in the transformation of the neighborhood. »

He also mentioned pell-mell: the return to school of the 11,900 Nîmes students, the good performance of the association forum, the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Nîmes and the decision of the Montpellier Court of Appeal concerning the acquittal of Franck Proust. “ I deplore the action of some who, failing to win the vote of the people of Nîmes, use the Public Prosecutor’s Office to play gutter politics. Franck Proust’s honor is finally cleansed. »

h2 prices

With a view to the opening of the h2 Nîmes congress center in the fall of 2025 and its operation under a public service concession contract, the city of Nîmes has entrusted the local public company Culture et Heritage (SPL C&P), a services contract relating to the prefiguration of the opening of the convention center with a view to its future operation.

In accordance with the missions entrusted to us, SPL C&P has started communication and customer prospecting work to develop space rentals within h2. Since the first half of 2024, and in conjunction with the tourist office teams, the promotional actions undertaken have started to bear fruit. Requests for information from potential event organizer clients are regular and the first specifications for the organization of congresses and professional meetings in 2026 are arriving.

It is therefore now necessary for SPL C&P to be able to offer contractual quotes to the first customers, and for this to have a first validated price list. Thus, a proposed price list was developed with a view to being submitted to the municipal council.

Rue Antoine or Albert Delon?

Still… It was long and quite incomprehensible! Since 1979, the city of Nîmes has reaffirmed the name of 235 roads whose origin could not be found. Among these names, rue Antoine-Delon appears. However, the Delon family alerted in 2024 that the first name of their ancestor has always been wrong. Fabrice Delon, great-grandson of Albert Delon, requested the services of the City to carry out this modification in memory of his great-grandfather, a doctor who carried out the internment of Vincent Van Gogh.

Following the family’s request, the City wishes to correct this naming error. Rue Antoine-Delon will henceforth be called Rue Albert-Delon, the rest being unchanged.

Place Abbé Pierre?

Issued at the end of the municipal council, a wish from the Nîmes citizen group on the Left concerned the Place Abbé-Pierre. The mayor was in agreement with this name change, but the City wants to take the time and follow the classic path within the framework of the next municipal council to “validate an evolution which must be carried out in close connection with the environment of the public space.”