sixteen years after his departure, the shadow of the Georget circus still hangs over Bréhémont

Menacing clouds are gathering above Bréhémont (Indre-et-Loire). Nestled on the banks of the Loire north of Chinon, the small town of 700 people is deserted in the middle of the afternoon, as the storm approaches.

Posted at the entrance to his bike rental store, Dominique Raclin observes the die-hard cyclists crossing the Loire city where almost all of the shops have closed their doors. Passionate about local history, the adopted Bréhémontais displays several photos of the prosperous times of the village. The Georget circus, which arrived in 1982, features prominently.

In 2008, the suspicious departure from the circus

For twenty-six years, Bréhémont lived to the rhythm of the success of the circus family. In 2003, the eldest son, Hervé Georget, convinced his parents to buy a big top and launched the concept of the Christmas Circus Village, thus attracting tens of thousands of spectators each year. The troop took up its winter quarters, near the municipal cemetery, below the levee.

“The founder, Joël Georget, was also a municipal councilor from 1995. Until his death in 2007”remembers a resident with an infallible memory. The circus abruptly left Bréhémont the following year, “after the municipal elections of 2008”. A departure as sudden as it was unexplained, still causing a certain embarrassment, sixteen years later. “I don't know what happened. sweeps Dominique Raclin. Not a cool thing, anyway. »

Asked about this, local figures immediately dodge: “It’s too sensitive. I prefer not to broach the subject. » Crossed by chance, a native Bréhemontais has his own idea on the matter. “It didn’t work out with Daniel Durand, he blurted out, without hesitation. It wasn't the same political color. ». An allusion to the socialist label of the mayor at the time, re-elected in 2008, after the mandate of Jean-Claude Truissard between 2001 and 2008.

Accused of being behind the departure of the Georgets, Daniel Durand explained himself in a long letter, published in The New Republic in December 2008: “Nothing justifies the town hall being held responsible for this disaffectionhe wrote. Going elsewhere is the sole responsibility of the circus leaders. »

The whispered stories about the “cabin”

For others, the reasons for this departure lie elsewhere. In a small shed, set back from land still belonging to the Georget family, far from the town center. An addiction mentioned in complaints against Hervé Georget, accused of rape and sexual assault on minors between 2006 and 2016.

“His indictment was not really a surprise here”spontaneously indicate residents, in a tone that is both evasive and understanding. On June 21, 2024, the “Mr. Loyal” of the circus was placed in pre-trial detention. A few weeks later, the Georget family announced the closure of the circus school and left the town of Luynes.

The persistent rumor has been whispering for several years: “It started in Bréhémont, these stories. And it was known. » A former confidant of the municipal team assures that elected officials were not aware at the time. “The families only filed a complaint later, once the circus had left. »

Why didn't anyone speak sooner? The question elicits at best a shrug of the shoulders when the gaze does not become shifty. “We take no glory in saying it today”confides an old man with white hair, before lowering his head.