Jean-Paul Fournier received us this Thursday, January 15 in his office. The mayor of Nîmes, suffering during the holidays, has been back at the town hall for several days. The opportunity to say in what state of mind he approaches 2025…
Objectif Gard: You were sick during the holidays. How are you now?
Jean-Paul Fournier: I was unwell at Christmas, but it's much better. I still have my legs which hurt me, difficulty walking, but I am at work for the people of Nîmes… So as it is the new year, I wish myself good health to finish what I have undertaken on this mandate… May everything go well.
Did the holidays allow your two potential successors to finally come to an agreement?
I don't believe it. They passed each other, but did not see each other. To my great regret…
Julien Plantier should present his candidacy imminently. Did he warn you?
This will activate things a little, because it is not with Valérie Rouverand that we are going to go far. But he hasn't told me yet… Perhaps he doesn't really dare tell me. In any case, I warned him, like Franck Proust, that failure could be very costly. Now if they don't want to understand…
Your first deputy legitimately considers that he has done his job well in recent years…
He did the job, with more or less success… He is young. If Franck Proust serves only one term, Julien Plantier will barely be 45 years old. He has his whole life ahead of him to be mayor…
This looming war on the Right worries you particularly…
It's dangerous. It's not just me, everyone says it. Above all, we have time, there is still more than a year left.
You have known Franck Proust, the president of Nîmes métropole for several decades. What does he tell you?
Not much at the moment. He has to say what he wants to do… I have him on the phone, he comes to see me regularly, but for the moment, he has not told me precisely his plans, even if I understand that he wanted to succeed me and continue the work…
-Palais des Congrès, certification of the Nîmes theater and Galeries Lafayette at the Coupole
Let’s talk about the projects for this year 2025…
I'm happy because for the Palais des Congrès, we will be ready on time. In October. We could also see good news for Jacques-Chirac Park. We hope to resolve the situation quickly. We won't be able to inaugurate it, but at least launch it. Finally, on Saturday I will receive Christopher Miles, the general director of artistic creation of the Ministry of Culture for the labeling of the Nîmes theater which we have been waiting for for a long time. This national scene label obliges us with specifications to respect. But we would obtain funding of 500,000 euros per year. This is not negligible. At the same time, I understand that we are being asked to take charge of Periscope which is experiencing financial difficulties. We're going to discuss all of this…
2025 also sees the arrival of Galeries Lafayette at La Coupole…
It will change a lot of things. We are going to organize a new meeting with the owner of the Coupole. I would also like to say that the Halles de Nîmes be modernized, I am committed to this. The stallholders were a little angry, but I think they calmed down. He is the first deputy who meets them regularly. This work must be carried out, this modernization will allow this beautiful place to be preserved for the next 30 years…
The future of Nîmes Olympique and the Costières stadium
Have you heard from Rani Assaf, the president of Nîmes Olympique, after your letter inviting him one last time to a work meeting?
None. I want to tell you “No news is good news. » Let him go, we won't keep him.
Without a buyer, it’s complicated…
The matter is thorny. We don't have anyone at this point. We must continue to work to find a buyer. Assaf demands 10 million. How is this possible when we are at the bottom of the National championship? Every Friday I watch and we lose.
In the meantime, are you going to tackle the renovation of the Costières stadium?
Yes, we are going to start work on the Costières stadium. It has to be done. If we want to continue in National or Ligue 2, we need a modernized stadium. This represents an investment of 9 million euros, mainly security work.
Finally, a word about the book you are writing. Do you put your memories down on paper?
I work there. But it's secret at the moment. The book should be released at the beginning of 2026, in the middle of the municipal campaign. I have a few things to say…
