Published by the Paysages de France association, the winners of the Ugly France Prize 2024 fell this Monday, October 28. And, on the side of Maromme (Seine-Maritime), a town pinned in the “Sign in danger” category for an unsightly advertising panel along the Cailly, the river which crosses the town, the mayor, David Lamiray, would have done without this promotion.
“Generally speaking, I find that their approach is positive,” he still assures, a good player. He knows this sign well, judiciously installed along the main artery that crosses the city: “Basically, there are 22,000 vehicles per day that pass by there at low speed. It is therefore not surprising that advertisers had the idea of putting it there. Afterwards, this example is perhaps not the worst, even in my town. And, in any case, it must disappear in the coming months. »
A reaction which does not surprise Danie Perronot, the vice-president of Paysages de France, which has around a thousand members spread across the country and who contribute their photos to this list. “In most cases, as soon as a non-compliant advertising device is pointed out, it is removed. But it's a little annoying that we're needed to do it. In the case of Maromme, why wait if the regulations already allow it to be removed? »
“We have a tool that will allow mayors to be effective”
David Lamiray assures that if the days of this sign are numbered, it is above all because the Rouen-Normandy Metropolis voted last April to establish a local intermunicipal advertising regulation (RLPI) which complements the legislation in force. A complex document which took several years to see the light of day, preventing, according to him, the municipalities from acting as effectively as they wanted.
“This power was transferred to the EPCI (in this case the metropolis of Rouen, Editor’s note) as early as 2015. Discussions on regulations began, were interrupted by Covid, and subsequently resumed. But today, finally, we have a tool that will allow mayors to be effective,” the elected official wants to believe, adding that the metropolis “has established one of the strictest regulations in France, taking inspiration from for example what is done in Grenoble. Signs in the city center or around natural areas will be history in a few months in our territory.”
A delay necessary according to him to give time to posters and owners of private land – where these installations are regularly located, like the one photographed in Maromme – to comply. But, according to him, the year 2025 will be the year of major cleaning.
A prospect which delights Danie Perronot, also associated with the discussions concerning this RPLI which according to her is going in the right direction. Which does not prevent him from having fears for the future: “While it was up to the prefectures to enforce the regulations concerning these installations, the State delegated this power to the communities. And if, in Rouen, this seems to be going in the right direction, what will it be in the rest of the territory? I fear that our track record will not end overnight unfortunately. »
