The 12 events that marked the year 2024 in Sablé-sur-Sarthe

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Different news marked the year 2024 in Sablé-sur-Sarthe. The writing of Shortbread News selected 12. Look back.

1- What future for the castle

The Château de Sablé will be empty when the National Library of France leaves, expected in 2029. The media second-hand dealer Julien Cohen, known for having participated as a buyer in the show Deal done on France 2, wishes to set up a second-hand shop there. The project was announced in January. After a skirmish last January between the BnF which indicated “not having been informed of discussions” and the mayor of Sablé who supported the opposite, nothing really progressed. He didn’t give up though. Contacted at the end of December, Julien Cohen explained that he was waiting for a decision from the Ministry of Culture.

2- Something new at the association house

Places are expensive for associations in Sablé. At the association center, a vast game of musical chairs began at the start of the year to welcome Alpha Sablé. Its premises, street Mermozearmarked for demolition, the association had to move.

The City installed theA3CS at the old Gambetta schoolthe old school philatelic association of Gastines. Associations less present in the places, cycle touring club, CICS, Sabolian Star were offered storage locations and occasional rooms during meetings.

3- Standoff with the A3CS

At the start of the year, a standoff pitted the City against the A3CS. L’Cultural Association of Municipalities of the Canton of Sablé (A3CS), which lends or rents equipment to associations and municipalities in the canton. The elected officials of Sablé suspended the subsidies by demanding explanations on the accounts.

They wondered about the gap between revenues and the number of loans. On an annual budget of around €15,000, the Sabolian share which was €5,000 was essential. The question is now settled. Elected officials voted for the subsidy at the last municipal council meeting in December.

4- Pigeons: the city toughens its tone

After organizing a public meeting for the owners of the buildings of the downtown Sablé in order to make them aware of the fight against pigeons, the city toughened its tone, first via a decree in March indicating that “the owners of buildings bordering the public highway, or under their responsibility, the qualified representatives, are required to take all necessary measures to prevent the excessive presence of bird droppings on public roads.”

In the fall, a drone flew over the city center to track down offenders.

And if the owners do not follow the instructions, the City will attack them directly in the wallet. In addition to a fixed fine of 35 euros, owners may be charged for “the appropriate measures put in place by the City of Sablé-sur-Sarthe”.

5- Two taverns liven up the summer

The City of Sablé has set up two taverns: the first on the port and the second on the Saturday morning market from July. Vincent Perez, manager of the Le Dauphin brasserie in the Leclerc shopping center, managed that of the port. That of the market was carried by Guillemette Burel and Nicolas Cabrol.

Despite the weather which shortened the opening period, the results are rather good. The port tavern brought people back to the city center. After this trial run, a second season is planned for the port tavern. A new (annual) call for applications to manage the tavern will be launched, a priori, at the beginning of 2025.

6- Two new names

The month of June was marked by two new names. The Rocade district has officially become the Saint-Exupéry district. New name for a new face planned for 2025 with work on the school and a vast neighborhood rehabilitation project, led by Sarthe Habitat.

New name also for the wedding hall which has become the Pierre-Touchard salon. Pierre Touchard was mayor of Sablé from 2001 to 2008, after having been François Fillon’s first deputy. The public life of Pierre Touchard follows in the footsteps of François Fillon. To pay tribute to him, the former Prime Minister came out of his reserve. Pierre Touchard died on December 17, 2021, at the age of 83.

7-Record edition for Pop au Parc

For its third edition, the festival Pop at the Park in Sablé-sur-Sarthe broke all attendance records.

Over the course of three days, Maëlle (winner of the 7th edition of The Voice), Les Naive New Beaters and even Les Sans Prétention paraded on stage.

An eclectic program that has found its audience!

The attendance figures are well beyond previous editions with a total of 9,059 entries over the weekend. We can’t wait to know the 2025 program!

8- A new association of traders

Sablé Action, the city’s merchants’ association, had been dormant for three years.

Vincent Michaud relaunched the association accompanied by three young traders from rue de l’Île: Thibaud Méteyer, from l’Antre de Zythos; Marion Hautreux, from Célest, and Vincent Lorre, from High Vap.

It is called “Vitrines de Sablé”.

On the program, no big events but one-off events. The weekend before Christmas, she brought life to the city center.

9- €807,000 of work at the station

Sablé station underwent four months of work worth €807,000 financed by SNCF Gare et Connexions.

The facade was redone, the roof of the passenger building renovated and photovoltaic panels installed.

The insulation of the lofts was redone as well as the awning. The lights have been switched to LED for the platforms and the underground.

An automatic door was installed at the northern access to the underground and finally, the clock of the passenger building was refurbished.

10- Two new associations

Two new associations were created in Sablé at the end of the year.

Let’s cultivate better eating was launched by Simone Bacles-Min, strongly supported by two women active in the region: Annick Davy (Alpha Sablé) and Céline Delattre (Le Roseau 72 and AIME).

Second creation: a stopover in the Sabolian country. It was created in particular by Lydie Pasteau, to help victims of domestic violence, particularly domestic violence.

Volunteers offer drop-in hours every Friday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., on the 3rd floor (office 4) of the Maison de l’Enfance et de la famille.

The objective is to listen to and guide victims of domestic violence, while guaranteeing them confidentiality.

These hotlines are also open to witnesses of violence.

11- Businesses close

This end of the year is synonymous with business closures in Sablé. Open for just a year and a half, Netto closed on route de La Flèche “due to lack of turnover”.

Two closures also in the city center, rue de l’île, Strassy bijoux which had been installed for more than 20 years or even Celest, launched a year and a half ago. Its manager welcomed artisans into her store for a large part of the month of December before closing her doors.

11-A project for the old gendarmerie

New project unveiled by Nicolas Leudière on the occasion of the general meeting of the Development Club in December: the construction of an intergenerational home on the site of the former gendarmerie, rue de Verdun. It had been fallow since 2012.

The building will be aimed at elderly people and young workers. 66 T1 housing units et three T2 will be built. They are intended to replace the Bazinières housing center, located a little further away in the Saint-Exupéry district, and the Mermoz young workers’ center, the building of which will be demolished in a few weeks.

The work should start in October 2025.

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