A devastating tornado, the lightning return of Jérôme Cahuzac to politics, the election as deputy of the city mayor, the sale of Gifi and Stelsia, the expedition of Louis Jammes to conquer Everest alongside from Inoxtag… The year 2024 will remain among the richest in news for the bastide and its inhabitants. But of all the events, if we had to remember just one, the Villeneuvois agree that it would be… the passage of the Tour de France.
The arrival of the 12th stage of the Grande Boucle, on July 11, left its mark. “It’s still an important event, we often think that only the oldest follow the Tour, but no,” assures Agathe Baly, 20 years old. This year, we watched it on TV and we also went to see the arrival in Villeneuve in real life,” confides this speech therapy student in Tours, who returns “very often” to her native bastide.
Agathe Baly, student.
Clemence Riot
The Tour de France, for better and for worse: “For us (the traders), it was a rather complicated moment,” regrets Carole Desserey, manager of the Le Bois de Tatie boutique. There were no commercial benefits as hoped. Afterwards, there were difficult elections. Then the Bastides en fête which, for once, helped us a lot. »
Clemence Riot
Carole Desserey, merchant.
Albin Hédon, professional juggler, also holds back the arrival of the cyclists. But not only that: “There were also the elections, the return of Cahuzac, Lepers deputy, the book festival, the Christmas market and a lot of things linked to the theater,” underlines this Villeneuvois.
Clemence Riot
Albin Hédon, Villeneuvois and juggler.
“A good social climate”
It is not the mayor of the city who will contradict this official. Gérard Régnier, elected in July, has a hard time citing just one notable fact: “I could obviously talk to you about the Tour de France which is a monument of organization and communication. I could tell you about the major works in Villeneuve-sur-Lot (Allées Georges-Leygues, Myre-Mory stadium, Sainte-Catherine church)… I could also tell you about the evolution of the campus within the old hospital. Saint-Cyr. I could perhaps also tell you about the industrial and artisanal adventure which continues to grow in our town and our city. But what struck me the most is quite simply all the daily actions of the services of our commune and our agglomeration which work to serve the population”, greets the first councilor, happy with the “good social climate » of his city.
Archives Annabel Perrin
Gérard Régnier, elected mayor last July.
Loïc Déquier / SO
Guillaume Lepers, deputy for the third constituency of Lot-et-Garonne since July 7, 2024.
But what did Guillaume Lepers, the new MP for the constituency, remember?
“It's hard, this year 2024 has been so rich… The return of the Tour de France after twenty-four years of absence (major popular festival over several months, perfect organization, very strong link with Agen), the legislative elections and its surprises (dissolution, return of Cahuzac, victory), the inauguration of the Roger-Louret theater (moments of enormous emotion with the Baladins, celebrities in Villeneuve), exceptional sporting results in 2024 (RCV, BHAP agreement, Villeneuve athletics), the tornado, agricultural demonstrations, commemorations linked to the 80th anniversary of the Liberation (including Eysses), the long-awaited resumption of work on the RN 21 (after years of waiting and fruit of the Agen/Villeneuve alliance). And again, I'm not talking about the competition for the most beautiful market (first in the South-West) or the record attendance at summer concerts (for Black M, almost 10,000 people)! »
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