the essential
While the project for a cultural third place installed in the heart of the former Hôtel de France in Gimont has been abandoned, the company La Langue Écarlate, which had built an artistic project around the building, is organizing a “hotel lottery”. A call for projects will soon be launched to bring the place back to life.
“We had the impression that they had left in a hurry. There was still a newspaper open on one of the tables,” remembers Emilie Vannieu, of the company La Langue Écarlate. For three years, the troupe, which is based in Gimont, has been working with the municipality on the renovation project of the Hôtel de France. “We wanted, with the PETR and the community of municipalities, to create a third cultural place which would have hosted the media library, the tourist office, the associations…”, indicates Corinne Cacicedo, elected official in charge of culture.
Photo DDM – L.L.
The company then organized several events to revive this historic building in the heart of the city. “For example, we highlighted the hotel to make it seem like it was coming back to life,” recalls Emilie Vannieu. La Langue Écarlate also wanted to make the project participatory and launched the “Grande collection”: each resident of the region was thus able to bring souvenirs from the Hôtel de France, which had experienced prosperous years after the Second World War and had welcomed great personalities. “A person brought a photo on which there was Hélène’s grandfather (Mathon, the artistic director of the company, Editor’s note) who was part of the French Rugby Federation, smiles Emilie Vannieu. She didn’t even know that he had come to Gimont”.
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Unfortunately, the third place project turned out to be too expensive: around 9 million euros, almost three-quarters of which had to be financed by Gimont town hall. It was therefore recently abandoned. A hard blow for all the stakeholders who were actively working on it.
“Lots of little treasures”
So, in order to end this adventure in a “quirky and joyful” way, several associations are joining forces to organize a “loto-hotel” this Saturday, January 25: during the start of the year evening of Atelier 122, which will be placed under the sign of “Vintage”, a lottery will allow you to win objects found in the heart of the Gimont building. Crates of bottles, frames, crockery, blouses… “There are lots of little treasures which also tell the history of the place. It will be a great way to share the heritage of the Hôtel de France,” say the organizers.
Photo DDM – L.L.
A great way to turn the page and look forward to the future. For the company, whose agreement with the municipality has been renewed for three years, it will be the inhabitants of the territory, with “La Voie des Femmes”, a project highlighting the Gersoises.
On the side of the Hôtel de France, the Public Land Establishment (EPF) of Occitanie has taken over. Its mission consists of acquiring buildings before transferring them to a community or to the operator mandated by it. “We are working on a call for private and/or public projects in order to find a partner who will wish to invest in the municipality,” indicates Corinne Cacicedo. “We are developing fairly broad specifications in order to leave the field of possibilities open.” And to finally bring this historic building back to life.
