Cold shower for two young residents of Pia who decided to get married next summer and had made good progress in organizing their wedding. The mayor of their commune issued an operating ban order this Friday, May 3, 2024 against the establishment “Les Jardins du Mas”. In all, around thirty weddings like theirs are scheduled there for the summer season.
Room: check ✔; caterer: check ✔; DJ: check ✔, as well as the cake, the violinist and other surprise entertainment… Three months before the wedding, Corentin Violleau, 24 years old, an accounting employee, and his companion Sylvain Monedero, 25 years old, employee in a medical center, are on schedule. On August 10, the young couple put the ring on their finger. The wedding rings are in their box, the invitations were sent before the end of year holidays. Thus, their 110 guests took their vacation and booked accommodation around Pia. Since it is there, in the Jardins du Mas precisely, that the festivities will take place. At least, that they were supposed to take place there.
If we hadn’t read the decree on the internet, we would find the door closed on the day of the wedding!
This Friday, May 3, Corentin is working on running their new joint activity: the sale of fancy candles made by hand and sold online and in markets. Extra work that has kept them busy day and night for months with one goal: to finance their union. “We really wanted a dream wedding“, breathes Corentin. This Friday, he consults the City’s website to monitor information that could concern the markets. Suddenly, his heart stops: he discovers a municipal decree taken that very morning, “prohibiting the operation of the establishment ‘Les Jardins du Mas‘”. “I’m in shock, we booked the room, the DJ, the caterer with them. Our wedding is ruined…“The groom-to-be breaks down in tears.”In three months, we’re getting married, we have nothing left.” Five days later, he’s still crying about it.
They are demanding a refund of the sums paid at the time of booking.
However, he and Sylvain did not twiddle their thumbs. They took steps to find a location, saw three caterers during the week. At the village market on Sunday, redoubling their efforts to sell their candles, the young couple came across the mayor, Jérôme Palmade. “I jumped on him“, says Corentin, looking for clarification. “He explained the order to us, telling us that he was very sorry about it.“In fact, the mayor invokes a”space built without planning permission” and or “the public is received in conditions presenting a proven risk to their safety in the event of flooding or fire“. Allegations that the owner of the site, located 300 meters from Agly, formally contests.
“If we hadn’t read the decree on the internet, we would find the door closed on the day of the wedding!“, Sylvain gets carried away. The couple then asks the Jardins du Mas for a refund of the 1,500 euros paid for the reservation in November in order to be able to return. “We found a site that can accommodate us in Rivesaltes on the same date. It’s a stroke of luck, and even if it’s more expensive, we have no choice. But we need this money now to reserve the providers.”
However, the owner does not see it that way. She asks for a month and a half in the hope of asserting her rights. “In the conflict we are in, we no longer see ourselves welcoming our guests into their homes, it could end in a general fight because the families are so upset!“, deplore the engaged couple. Who, as a last resort, opened an online kitty in the hope of saving their marriage.
Nicolas Parent – Nicolas Parent
“I am surprised by this emergency closure, we have been open for 4 years”
In the wake of the publication of the municipal decree prohibiting the operation of the Jardins du Mas – a document hand-delivered on May 3 to SARL Agri Pia -, Mayor Jérôme Palmade said he had received “numerous calls from future brides and grooms in tears“. He explains having “issued this order to protect the future bride and groom and their guests because the place is not secure”. The decision highlights several shortcomings, including the absence of “planning permission” and “lack of knowledge of the legislation on establishments open to the public“. It is based on the classification of the plot in “agricultural flood zone”, in “very high hazard” in terms of flood risk and in a “high probability flood” zone. It also notes “the impossibility of access for emergency services” and concludes that there is a “proven risk” for public safety, particularly due to the narrowness of the dirt access road.
Arguments refuted outright by the owner of Les Jardins du Mas, Céline Henri, who operates the site with her daughter Sarah. “I am surprised by this emergency closure, we have been open for 4 years, Mr. Palmade even came to party at my house. A safety commission gave its approval (declared obsolete in the decree, Editor’s note), he does not take it into account. He had plenty of time to close us, why wait until the last moment before the season?“The councilor elected in 2020 recalls for his part having sent to the public prosecutor in 2021 a report of offense regarding work carried out without authorization. He adds that in February 2023 a notification of refusal had been delivered to a new planning application.I sent them a letter 15 days ago to request regularization“, and especially “registration for a real activity corresponding to its exploitation.“The Henri family in fact declared themselves as farmers,”with an extension of Kbis in agritourism“, she justifies.
18 dogs drowned in 2013
She claims to have initiated summary proceedings with the administrative court, without wishing to reveal their content at this stage. The mayor asks the prefecture for arbitration. “Let’s sit around a table with the SDIS”, he suggests. “I decided to keep it shorthe admits, because I alerted the competent jurisdictions and I wanted to accelerate as the summer season approached.“Perhaps a way for the elected official to also protect themselves from possible liability in the event of an accident.
While waiting, the shopkeeper explains that she “informed the vast majority of (his) situation customers“.”We are sorry for our bride and groom, more than for the company, and we will assume their full reimbursement if the court decision is not favorable to us“, she assures.
Before developing this reception hall activity, Céline and Sarah Henri operated an animal shelter on their Mas Sisqueilles site called Un refuge un coeur. In March 2013, the site was hit by bad weather, causing the drowning of 18 dogs. “The part of the property where the two reception rooms are has never been flooded, puts the mother into perspective. Additionally, we have a 300 square meter refuge area upstairs and have barriers to prevent access if necessary.” Finally, the owner of the site, where an artificial lake has been built, explains having included in all her contracts “a clause indicating that at the slightest severe weather alert, services will be canceled.”
