the city forced to dismantle its statue of Joan of Arc at 170,000 euros after an appeal from the prefect

The administrative court of Nice, seized by the prefect, indicated on Wednesday that it had canceled the contract signed by the metropolis of Nice with an artists' workshop for the creation of a monumental statue of Joan of Arc, therefore forcing the city to disassemble. For its Jeanne d'Arc car park, the metropolitan parking authority had signed a contract with Atelier Missor, which the city presents as “a collective of artists based in Nice”. But this contract had been concluded without advertising or competitive bidding, the court criticized.

In its order issued on Tuesday, the administrative justice considered that the Parcs d'Azur authority had not established “particular artistic reasons (which) would have required that this order for a monumental sculpture of Joan of Arc (…) be entrusted exclusively to Atelier Missor”. “Such a failure to comply with the advertising and competitive bidding obligations constitutes a particularly serious defect likely to result in the cancellation of the contract in dispute”the court said in a press release on Wednesday.

Reimbursement “without delay”

Contacted by AFP, the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, led by prefect Hugues Moutouh, indicated that this judicial decision “involves the dismantling of the statue” et “the reimbursement by the service provider of the sums paid to him”or 170,000 euros excluding taxes, specifying that “any appeal against this judgment is not suspensive” and a letter “will be sent to the Parcs d’Azur authority to remind it that it must execute the judgment without delay”.

The authority indicated that it would appeal this decision, saying it «surprise»to the extent that the same court, seized for interim relief, had adopted an opposite position in a decision rendered on February 23. This monumental work in bronze, gilded with fine gold, weighs 9 tonnes and measures 4.50 meters in height. It depicts Joan of Arc on horseback brandishing a sword and was installed in the city garden atop a new underground car park located near the Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc church, in the center of Nice.

Almost a year ago to the day, on January 20, 2024, Nice environmentalist Frédéric Picard, for his part, made a report to the Nice public prosecutor, Damien Martinelli, for suspicions of favoritism. Contacted, the Nice magistrate confirmed to Figaro the opening of an investigation on February 20. The latest news was that investigations were still underway.