Every evening at 8:30 p.m., find the essential regional news on midilibre.fr.
Truffle production in the region is “tumbling”
#OCCITANIA The president of Truffles en Occitanie sounded the alarm this Sunday, January 26, on the occasion of the truffle festival which was held in Béziers.
Antoine Yoris raised the “issue” facing the profession: “At the beginning of the 20th century, Hérault produced between 20 and 25 tonnes for a total production in France of 1,200 tonnes. In 2024, the total production of France is around 15 tonnes! We are experiencing an enormous decline, a abandonment of this culture, of this production, if we continue like this, production risks disappearing, hence our work, that of all associations like ours, to ensure that this culture continues.
Thus, the association decided to “take the bull by the horns” by establishing a partnership with the agricultural high school of Pézenas.
Today’s figure: 25,000
#LITTORAL A fire broke out on the Kriti Captain, an oil cargo ship with 25,000 tonnes of diesel on board while it was off the coast of Port-la-Nouvelle on Sunday January 26 around 4 a.m. The Liberian-flagged vessel is 184 meters long. A team specializing in ship fires was sent to the site. In particular, they transshipped long-term respiratory equipment.
The fire was brought under control. There were no injuries among the crew of around twenty Filipino sailors, nor among the rescuers. Around 7 a.m., checks were in progress according to the Aude prefecture “to detect possible hot spots. At this stage, there is no risk of pollution. “ The fire was believed to be of accidental origin. The cargo ship, now damaged, should reach the port of Marseille during the day.
The restoration of the Nîmes arenas continues
#NIMES In November 2024, the Ministry of Culture validated the restoration of the cavea, the upper part located at the level of the crown of the arena with stones. Currently, this part is mainly made up of metal stands, allowing rainwater to infiltrate.
-“It is the second most important national project, after that of Notre-Dame-de-Paris”rejoices Mary Bourgade, deputy mayor responsible for heritage. “The work should begin in 2027,” underlines the elected official, for a total duration of six years. The project will be split into two three-year periods with breaks during summer events.
As for what’s next? “We have restored more than half of the outer crown. And within two or three years, we will have completed all of the spans. We will still have to tackle the interior facade,” underlines architect Michel Goutal. A total budget of 54 million euros, to which will be added the amount for the restoration of the cavea.
A McDonald’s restaurant in a small town
#GARD In Saint-Geniès-de-Malgoirès, a small town of 3,000 inhabitants, between Nîmes and Alès, a 400 m2 McDonald’s restaurant is under construction. The inauguration is planned for the end of March with many guests.
The director of Mc Donald’s France will reveal on this occasion “a new concept” restaurant. If this establishment in a rural area is surprising, Mc Donald’s France explains that an opening “is always decided in relation to economic potential”. The new restaurant is far from the RN106. “We are opening in slightly less natural configurations than in the past. Municipalities with 3,000 inhabitants are formats where the openings have worked well.”
New for the 100 km of Millau this year
#AVEYRON Saturday September 27, 2025, the flagship event of the 100 km of Millau will undergo significant changes for safety reasons. The start of the races will be brought forward to 8 a.m. The time limit to complete the 100km will be reduced from 24 hours to 18 hours, meaning the race will finish at 2am on Sunday.
This decision aims to reduce the risks linked to night traffic and the increase in traffic on the Millau-Saint-Affrique axis and to promote the management of volunteers. A new 23km event will be introduced this year to meet growing demand. The start of this race will be at the same time as that of the 100 km and the marathon.
