During a conference on the history of the rotundas of Nièvre this Saturday, October 19, in Marzy, the association of architects and landscapers of Nièvre invited several former railway workers and specialists to discuss the uncertain existence of the rotunda in Nevers.
“I’ll start with a rant! “. In front of the Neversoise assembly in Marzy, the architect Luc Tabbagh Gruau begins an incisive preamble on the potential destruction of the Nevers rotunda, before beginning the conference on the SNCF rotundas. “Many people are attached to this heritage, both the architects and the people who worked on the site,” explains the architect, visibly moved by the situation.
In the ranks of the auditorium, several former railway workers, architects or simply curious people attend the conference. For the occasion, the association of architects and landscapers of Nièvre invited several representatives of railway workers to attend and discuss the uncertain future of the rotunda, scheduled for destruction.
“Architects are a real support for us”
Author of a petition which aims to stop the destruction of the site, the appeal of the architect Luc Tabbagh Gruau had an unexpected response: “more than 3,500 people voted against this destruction”, he specifies. to the public. Several smiles appear in the assembly. Hope seems to be reborn.
“The architects are a real support for us: they have another visibility of the place. It’s additional expertise and advice,” explains Marc Marillette, former maintenance executive at the Nevers depot and present at the meeting.
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Accompanied by Alain Blot, writer and retired railway worker, the two men announced to the public the creation of an association to fight against the destruction of the site. Objective: to make the rotunda a railway museum, but also a workshop and a place of training.
To raise funds, the two founders of the association asked for help from the Stéphane Bern Foundation for History and Heritage-Institut de France. “They told us to reach an agreement with the SNCF before helping us,” laments Marc Marillette. The two men also count on several sponsorships.
“The rotunda may remain a no-man’s land”
This project is already supported by the association of architects and landscapers of Nièvre, according to their co-president and landscaper
Régis Albignac. “When we learned about the destruction of the rotunda, we said to ourselves that we absolutely had to respond to this type of event and help save this place,” explains the landscaper. “We have contacts with railway workers who are committed enough to succeed in at least classifying the rotunda as a historic monument,” underlines the chef.
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If several initiatives seem to come together, the SNCF seems to be the only one resistant to the idea of bringing this rotunda back to life. And for good reason: the railway company would have appealed to the Nièvre prefectural ruling which had put a “stop” to the project to demolish the site on May 17, 2024.
During the conference, Paul Smith, an English architect well known in the profession, also shared his support for the Nevers rotunda, during his presentation on the history of rotundas. “Why tear this place down? These are buildings that can be reused! », breathes the architect. “It’s a question of taxes! », says a man in the room. A silence settles for a few seconds in the room.
“If we don’t change things, the rotunda could remain a no man’s land if SNCF Régions continues to ignore us,” adds Régis Albignac. The sword of Damocles seems to continue to weigh on the site, despite the efforts of the people of Nevers.
Ilyana Hamiti
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