A rave party has been underway since the middle of the night from Friday November 8 to Saturday November 9, 2024 at a place called “la Genais” in the town of Saint-Maurice-Étusson, on the limits of Saint-Paul-du-Bois (Maine). -et-Loire).
“There are around 400 people on the site”explains Pascal Lagoguée, the mayor of the town. “They arrived around 3 a.m. and set up their podium at the foot of one of the wind turbines. It seems that they had planned to settle in Maine-et-Loire but they had been spotted by the gendarmerie and they finally settled here. They planned to stay until Monday. »
The participants of the rave party have parked all along the access path to the wind turbine without encroaching on the crops for the moment.
© (Photo NR, Dominique Guinefoleau)
On site, calm reigned at the start of Saturday afternoon. The raver is clearly a nocturnal species, with an affected politeness, whose den is the seat of a car (with hidden plates) or a tent. He is also very quiet. “We are very suspicious”says one of the ravers asked to testify.
On this agricultural plot, they invested the earthen base of the wind turbine and its access path. “There is no overflow for the moment”notes the mayor who went to the site with the gendarmerie. “They listened to us and parked the cars along the path to provide access for possible emergency vehicles. There is no damage to the miscanthus fields along the path, but the owner of these fields has already planned to file a complaint. »
A drone to fly over the site
The elected official also plans to file a complaint on behalf of the municipality, even if the occupied places are not municipal property. “I took out an order to prohibit parking. Noise pollution and schedules but also the risk of disturbances will justify at least one complaint. »
The police are on site for the weekend and the prefecture has issued an order authorizing a drone to fly over the site during these three days. It authorizes “the capture, recording and transmission of images by means of a camera with a view to ensuring prevention and the safety of people and property”.
We don't dislodge them. They have the right to settle on private land like that! ?
A resident of the rave party Saint-Maurice-Étusson
Located at the foot of a wind turbine, the rave party is at least 500 m from the nearest house. Its occupant is no less bitter. The music is clearly audible from his home.
“They started arriving around 12:30 a.m. The music started around 5-6 a.m. They say they turn the music down at night but you can hear it clearly. And then there are the people passing by, looking for their way, talking loudly. It keeps us from sleeping. »
The occupants of the hamlet are resigned but think no less. “The last time they came here was six months ago. We accept. We can't do otherwise. But an individual who wants to do something according to the rules, we will hire him… and we will not dislodge them. Do they have the right to settle on private land like that? They can't have fun at home supposedly, so here we go for three nights. »
The ravers also set up their tents at the edge of certain cultivated fields.
© (Photo NR, Dominique Guinefoleau
This bitterness is nourished by previous episodes. “Last time, the cars were parked right in front of my garage. I couldn't go out. And we scooped up bottles, cigarette butts, shoes and socks full of mud that they had left at the foot of their car when they left. They pick up on site but not around it. »
This recurrence is perhaps what worries Pascal Lagoguée the most. “They have come here three times in four years. Obviously they like the area. »
Dominique Guinefoleau
