A crematorium in Souillac! An initiative to the credit of the municipality, but also good news for the entire territory which, to date, does not have a crematorium nearby. Families head towards the closest structures in Corrèze, sometimes with quite long waiting times.
It was therefore Monday, May 27 that the mayor of Souillac Gilles Liébus, Ms. Taillandier and Mr. Dabrigeon for the SNC Crémation, and Estelle Baron for the company Pompes funèbres Baron, met to mark the starting point of the construction project of the new funeral establishment in Souillac.
Start of work in May 2025
The 455 m2 building will be built at a place called La Féraudie. It will include: a car park with sixty spaces, a large reception hall, a ceremony room with 80 seats, a social room, an oven room sized to accommodate a second cremation line if necessary. Work should begin in May 2025, with the estimated opening date set for May 2026.
The delegatee selected for the public service delegation is SNC Crémation, acting as agent for the SNC-PF Baron group. SNC Crémation specializes in the design, construction and operation of eco-responsible crematoriums under public service delegation. To date, SNC Crémation manages seven active crematoriums and is the delegatee of eight construction and operating contracts. The Baron funeral company is a major player that has been working locally for more than thirty years; always attentive, respecting everyone’s convictions with the strong values of dignity, discretion, seriousness and dedication.
In 2024, the crematorium has become an essential public service facility; in fact, if funerals by cremation were only 1% forty years ago, in 2024 they represent 43% of the choice of families.
Up to 1,000 cremations per year
The town of Souillac allocated the land to the delegatee, with a 32-year public service concession, in return for an occupation fee of €310,000.
The crematorium’s activity forecast envisages 600 cremations per year at the start of activity to gradually reach 1,000 cremations. The landscape integration of the building and the parking lot with a plant screen is among the priorities.
This particularly welcome equipment responds to a demand from citizens linked to a change in funeral practices which affect most European countries (90% cremations in Switzerland, 70% in Germany).
