This commune in Orne near Domfront has 7 cemeteries to manage

See my news
Follow The Free Publisher

New municipality since 1^is January 2016, following the merger of seven municipalities (Beaulandais, Juvigny-sous-Andaine, La Baroche-sous-Lucé, Loré, Lucé, Saint-Denis-de-Villenette and Sept-Forges), Juvigny-Val-d'Andaine (Orne) today has 2,114 inhabitants and… 7 cemeteries !

2,2 hectares

“It’s as if we had a 2.2 hectare communal cemetery to manage and maintain,” observes Mayor Henri Leroux, after adding up the surface area of ​​the seven sites. We could even add the cemetery which is located around the Etrigé chapel in Sept-Forges. There are no more burials there, but regular maintenance must still be ensured.”

Please note: the seven delegated municipalities now make only one new municipality, “a resident of Loré, for example, can choose to be buried in the cemetery of Juvigny-sous-Andaine”, underlines the first councilor.

Administrative management

Following the merger of the municipality, a cemetery commission was formed with Gérard Grandin, deputy mayor, at its head. The different prices have also been standardized. “The management of the seven cemeteries is ensured based on registers and plans by the service of the new commune of Juvigny-Val-d’Andaine,” indicated Henri Leroux.

There are hotlines in each delegated town hall to which families can come and contact. Each delegated mayor also manages the cemetery of his municipality.

Managing a cemetery means, in particular, monitoring the concessions “which are today 30 or 50 years old, and only 30 years for the columbarium or the caves,” specifies the mayor. When a grave must be rebuilt, or when it is in a state of obvious abandonment, this requires numerous steps, in particular to find the family and any descendants still alive. If people have a certain amount of time to come forward, we often leave more and place a small sign at the foot of the grave concerned.”

A sensitive subject

While municipal employees have multiple tasks to carry out elsewhere (and in particular the maintenance of the towns), eight of them regularly take care of cleaning the cemeteries.

“The cleanliness of cemeteries is a sensitive subject because for families it is a question of respect for the deceased,” emphasizes Henri Leroux.

Since the Labbé law which prohibits the use of phytosanitary products for the maintenance of public spaces, we have eight municipal employees who regularly take care of cemeteries, with an obligatory visit as All Saints' Day and Palm Sunday approach.

If they use the mower for lawns, the brush cutter to remove weeds, in less accessible places, “their tool is the PTB: take your hoe”, says the mayor with a smile.

However, the latter wishes to recall a principle: “if the municipality must maintain the paths and lawns, it is up to families to weed at their graves, which are in a way private property”.

To reduce weeding chores, some communities are developing the greening of their cemeteries, “but this contradicts the demand made to make cemeteries accessible to people with reduced mobility”, estimates Henri Leroux, who nevertheless attaches great importance to like the cemeteries in its commune.

“Two years ago, we paved the main paths on each of the sites, and we regularly carry out work on the gates and fences,” he concludes.

Opening hours of delegated town hall offices. Beaulandais: Tuesday, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., tel 02.33.38.12.11; La Baroche-sous-Lucé, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., tel 02.33.38.13.20; Lucé, the delegated town hall is attached to that of La Baroche-sous-Lucé; Saint-Denis-de-Villenette, Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., tel 02.33.38.33.91; Sept-Forges, Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. / Tuesday, 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., tel 02.33.38.33.12; Loré, Thursday, 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., tel 02.33.38.30.54; Juvigny-sous-Andaine, Monday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. / Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 5 p.m., tel 02.33.38.10.25.

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.