Tuesday, November 12, the Hauts-d'Anjou municipal council addressed two highly anticipated subjects: the development project for crossing the town of Champigné and that of the restoration of the hydromorphology of the Piron in an urban environment, following the floods from June 2021. Two projects carried out simultaneously as they are complementary.
Read also: in June 2021, the town of Champigné flooded twice in eight days
Create “a town heart” rather than a crossroads
Firstly, Magali Vidal-Bedok, director of planning of the commune, took stock of the reflection carried out for the requalification of the crossing of the village, the aim of which is the creation of a “heart of town” rather than a crossroads, by favoring the establishment of gentle paths for pedestrians.
The SMBVAR (Joint Union of the Lower Angevin Valleys and Romme) then presented to elected officials the possibilities for developing the Piron. Vincent Jauffrit, river technician, Céline Persico, director of SMBVAR, Jacques Blondet, vice-president of aquatic environment management of SMBVAR, and Maud Courcelaud from the water agency, participated in this presentation. They specified that to achieve the primary objective – reducing the risk of flooding –, “a redevelopment of the course of the Piron was necessary”.
Modeling was carried out, based on elements of the 2021 flood, in order to determine how to slow down the flows.
First work on the Piron in the second half of 2025
The solutions adopted were: changing the confluence point of the Piron and its tributary the Loges stream, identifying the areas to be flooded to direct the water there and the installation of merlons (upstream) to retain this water.
The first works are planned for the second quarter of 2025, associated with the repair of wastewater and rainwater networks planned by the Communauté de Communes des Vallées du Haut Anjou (CCVHA). They will make it possible to halve the current in the event of thirty-year floods. Thus most of the houses impacted in 2021 would be spared.
The members of the SMBVAR nevertheless clarified that “this work will not guarantee the total absence of flooding in the event of exceptional floods. » For them, this study by Champigné is a “school case”priority with proposed solutions based on nature and based on a reliable model.
In parallel with this restructuring of the Piron, a landscaping project around the stream is being studied, with the creation of a lively valley, gentle paths with secure footbridges and bridges and a natural play area. .
The choice of co-construction with the population
To carry out this ambitious project, the municipality has surrounded itself with numerous partners: Department, Region, community of municipalities, state services, water agency, etc. Open and integrative governance has been put in place, with the creation of expanded technical and steering committees.
Above all, the municipality has chosen close co-construction with residents, economic players and the agricultural world. Meetings will soon be organized to finalize the preliminary projects.
A financial approach to the project was presented. The restoration of the Piron, alone, would amount to €508,000 with a remainder payable by the municipality of €203,000 while a “turnkey” project (restoration and complete landscaping) would amount to 1,176,000 €, with a remainder payable by the municipality of €243,000. These estimates take into account potential subsidies (environment, land use planning, etc.)
At the time of the vote, Alain Bourrier, elected from the opposition, was surprised: “At this time of financial difficulties whether at the state or municipal level (alluding to the €700,000 that it will have to reimburse to Alter after a change in criteria placing previously buildable areas in wetlands and therefore unbuildable) the time seems bad to me to embark on such expenses, even if the project seems very good to me. »
Maryline Lézé, mayor, replied: “Even if the cost of this project is high, a new flood would be very expensive, financially and humanly, for the municipality and the affected residents. »
The project was adopted: 26 votes in favor, one abstention and four against.
