A New Year’s Eve at the top of the Burj Khalifa tower which rises to 828 m in Dubai, a December 31 in Dublin, Belgrade or on the Monjuic hill in Barcelona? Christophe Berthonneau has the choice between these four destinations. The teams from Group F, of which he is the co-founder, will provide the New Year’s show in each of these cities. This company, based in Arles, was born in the disused Bessèges station in 1990. At the beginning of 2025, Benjamin Bonzi, tennis player from Nîmes, flew to the Australian Open. The Alésien Malik Frikah, 18 years old, who explodes in the film L’Amour ouf, is part of the first preselection for the Césars. Will he be crowned on February 28? Max Roustan, 80, will organize a fiesta between now and March for his 30 years in office. Economy, justice, education, health… Who are the 30 personalities who will make the news in Gard and the Arles region in 2025?
Christophe Berthonneau, co-founder of the F group.
1. Christophe Berthonneau, all fired up.
On December 23, he will blend into the public on the banks of the Rhône in Arles to watch the fireworks that Group F will set off. This sixty-year-old co-founded this company in 1990 in the disused Bessèges station. The group then moved to Nîmes then to Arles in 1997. “Our job is to delight the population with always free shows. » Group F, which employs 70 full-time equivalents, carries out 80% of its activity abroad. We were able to see them at work this summer at the Palace of Versailles and at the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games. For New Year’s Eve, they will be in Dublin, Belgrade and at the top of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Christophe Berthonneau, president and artistic director, will be active in Barcelona, the city where he produced his first show.
Benjamin Bonzi during the match against Arthur Bouquier during the Interclubs TC Strasbourg – TC Boulogne-Billancourt in Strasbourg on November 13, 2024.
2. Benjamin Bonzi at the Australian Open.
This 28-year-old Gardois ends the year 2024 with a bang with 21 victories in 22 matches played. This right-hander who has been playing professionally since 2015 even won his first ATP title at the Moselle Open on November 9. At the beginning of December, he was 75th in the world in the ATP rankings. A great comeback for a player who has experienced a roller coaster ride: ranked 42nd at the start of 2023, he was injured and fell to 182nd place in the world. He will participate in the Australian Open which will take place from January 6 to 26. He will not need to go through the qualifying phases and will appear directly in the final draw.
3. Malik Frikah, in the running for the Césars.
This Alesian is just 18 years old but he is already on the list of 16 actors preselected for the 2025 Césars category “male revelation of the year”. The one who plays the character of Clotaire in the film L’amour ouf by Gilles Lellouche will know on January 29 if he is one of the 5 finalists who will have the right to attend the 50th Césars ceremony, scheduled for February 28. Malik is the son of Jawad Frikah, who runs the hip hop association All’Style in Alès. The young actor already has one award under his belt: at the age of 10, he was world breakdancing champion. Self-taught, he did not take theater classes at the conservatory. He starred in two films: Apache and L’amour ouf which reached 4.7 million admissions at the end of December.
Benoît Roig, president of the University of Nîmes.
4. Third mandate for Benoît Roig.
At 52, this university professor, former top athlete, was re-elected for 5 years at the head of the University of Nîmes. On January 1, it will be transformed into an experimental public establishment, EPE. The objective: to create a common force of higher education and research in Nîmes. The Esban School of Fine Arts and the IFME School of Educators join the adventure as “facility-component”. We even find among the 5 “associated establishments”the Dhuoda and Hemingway high schools as well as the organization that manages Pont-du-Gard. Things should also change in Vauban at the end of January, with the opening of a building dedicated to digital technology including a film set and virtual reality equipment. Depending on the progress of the work on the Hoche site, the scientific students should leave the Carmes at the end of 2025.
Sylvie Ripart. [email protected]
5. Sylvie Ripart, a Women’s Center at the University Hospital.
Involved in the fight against violence against women, the Nîmes University Hospital welcomes on January 6 a caring place to listen, care, support and guide vulnerable women and particularly those who are victims of violence as well as their children. “We are lucky, they provide us with 260 m2 »describes Sylvie Ripart, medical pilot of the project. The House offers personalized medical, psychological, social and legal support. A social worker can accompany a woman to file a complaint. It will also be possible to file complaints at the University Hospital. This House will organize discussion groups and workshops. Obstetrician-gynecologist for almost 40 years at the University Hospital, Sylvie Ripart has been made aware of the problems of infertility, risky or unwanted pregnancies: “This House is for me the logical continuation of my investment in vulnerable women. ». Open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tel 04 66 68 32 18.
6. A “starchitect” for the conservatory.
“I come to the arena, recognizes Rudy Ricciotti, selected to rehabilitate the Nîmes conservatory. This is a very difficult project. There is this facade to preserve. It’s a struggle to serve this building with natural light. » Spread across three sites, the conservatory will move to Les Carmes. The work will begin when the students leave for Hoche. Architect and engineer, Grand Prix national d’architecture 2006, Rudy Ricciotti, built a concrete lace museum in Marseille, the Mucem. This 72-year-old man also designed a “tender and brutal project”the Rivesaltes memorial. In Nîmes, he was not selected for the Romanesque museum but signed the departmental council building covered in blue jeans. If he “is missed” for the conservatory, this aficionado who defines himself as “the biggest mouth in this profession”fears that the City will deprive him of bullfighting.
“It’s a fantastic delegation,” enthuses Véronique Gardeur-Bacel, deputy for Education at the City of Nîmes since 2017.
7. Véronique Gardeur-Bacel, school for all.
This energetic liberal nurse, deputy for education in Nîmes, launched an inclusive education advisory committee in January at the town hall. The goal: to bring all stakeholders around the table so that children with disabilities do not find themselves without a solution. An architectural competition will be launched at the beginning of 2025 for the future innovative school center in Pissevin. It will educate the students of the Langevin kindergarten which will be destroyed as part of the urban renovation and part of those of the elementary school. “The project was validated by National Education. It will focus on language development and openness to European languages”she announces. In the spring, the children from Clos d’Orville will move to the brand new Léo-Rousson school group. In September, the Marie-Curie center should open a fourth class for so-called ordinary children. This center combines classes for children with medical problems and regular classes.
8. A duo to lead the lawyers.
On January 1, 2025, President Aoudia will leave her position as head of Nîmes lawyers after two years in office. She transmits “his stick” gently to her colleague Me Séverine Moulis, elected for two years. But it is a pair who will in reality manage the 440 lawyers in Nîmes. Maître Moulis will team up with Me Romain Léonard, vice-president. This is the first time that a real duo will be at the helm of the Nîmes black dresses. A concept of “two-man leadership” which is already in force in other bars. It must be said that with all the responsibilities this role entails, it is better to work in a team rather than alone.
9. Max Roustan, 80 years old and 30 years of reign.
This former technical drawing teacher was elected mayor of Alès in a triangular election with only 127 votes in advance in 1995. This beekeeper has since been systematically re-elected in the first round. He meets his constituents in the morning at the bistro, dives into the Alès swimming pool in costume for his inauguration, jumps into the Gardon for the launch of Alès beach… In 2015, he celebrated his 20th anniversary as town hall with a concert and a giant cake. , fireworks and photos with the population. The City will celebrate its 30 years of mandate with a free event, “festive, reasonable and open to all”. It will take place in Alès over a long half-day in the first quarter. Will he take the opportunity to address the question of his succession?
10. Electric year for Jean-Luc Moya.
This 56-year-old man, responsible project management consultant, spokesperson for the collective « Stop THT 13-30 »considers that 2025 will be “a pivotal year”. His collective is fighting the project to create a 400,000 volt electrical line between Jonquières-Saint-Vincent and Fos-sur-Mer. This operation provides for the construction of 180 pylons at least 60 m high, to decarbonize the Fos industrial zone. At the end of January, the collective will organize a bird counting operation. Elected officials, businesses… In 2025, he will continue his work of persuasion in favor of a strategy of burying the line. If ever a declaration of public interest is adopted in favor of an airline project, the collective is ready to take legal action. A prize pool has been launched.
11. Nicolas Maury, pilots a Pyramid.
The head of the cultural action and festive activities department of Bagnols-sur-Cèze manages the programming of the Pyramid. With a capacity of 500 seats, this new room was built in Les Escanaux, in place of the former Léo-Lagrange cultural center, which was nicknamed the “Pyramid” because of its architecture. “I am quite moved, confides this author, director and actor. When I was a schoolboy, I discovered theater at the Pyramid. I performed there as an artist and today I am in charge of programming. » This 45-year-old Bagnolais who performed “very regularly” at the Avignon festival, the play La Machine de Turing, winner of 4 Molières, was programmed on January 17. An international ballet will perform there in February and Michel Jonasz in March.
12. Benoît Goiset, sold out for the 10th anniversary of the Nîmes Urban Trail.
“We decided to block at 12,000 places. We already have a thousand pre-registrations for 2026.” This native of Nantes, married to a woman from Nîmes, co-founded the NUT with Nicolas Carbo 10 years ago. After managing an editorial communications agency in Lyon, Benoît Goiset has dedicated himself to Yeswerun since 2020. This company employs 6 people all year round and will manage a team of more than 800 people on February 15 and 16 for the 10th edition of the NUT. On Saturday, 700 children will have access to specific races in the Arena. On Sunday, adults will have the choice between 4 distances including a new 42 km marathon course. The runners cross Fort Vauban, prestigious establishments, the second foreign infantry regiment but also nursing homes… The NUT allows you to discover the city and scrubland in a different way with “a strong focus on social connections”. It has 52% female participants, a figure “totally unusual in outdoor sports”.
Continuation of our ranking at 10:00 a.m.
