Stéphane Champay, maire du Crès et sa première adjointe Céline Pintard. Midi Libre – E. L.
Stéphane Champay, maire du Crès, a fait le point sur les projets en cours, dont les tant attendues nouvelles arènes qui accueilleront concerts et animations dès l’été prochain.
It is not yet time to take stock of the mandate, but that of the past year for Stéphane Champay, mayor of Crès and his first deputy Céline Pintard. And of course in this exercise at the beginning of the year, an update on upcoming projects. “The reconstruction of the arenas is progressing very well, we are planning an inauguration for June or July”, explains Céline Pintard.
The arenas, whose great dilapidation the current majority discovered a few days before taking over, have been demolished and completely rebuilt. “These are the arenas and the premises for eight businesses including a brewery, which is why we are talking about the Espace Trinquat the mayor continues. The overall cost is €6 million, with strong support from partners, up to €2 million, including €1 million from the State, which is not so common. We had to argue, convince, and put together files, but it was worth it. This is the project of the mandate.”
“A town with a village spirit”
The last municipal council of 2024 decided to entrust the animation of the arenas to a delegate. The Cressois Alexis Laurens, both an entrepreneur and a flamenco dancer, created his company Domitia Production which was selected. In the new site, accessible to people with reduced mobility, concerts will be scheduled, shows, and of course Camargue races.
“I'm always annoyed when I hear that Le Crès is a dormitory village, we live there! Our associative fabric is rich, very dynamic and this new place will be the heart of the city”, estimates Stéphane Champay who describes his town of 9,500 inhabitants as “a town with a village spirit”.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000The “Guinguette Thursdays” at the lake will be repeated next summer
Le Crès also knows how to attract outside visitors, especially around its main spot, the lake! On the evening of the fireworks on July 13, 12,000 people gather there… The parking lot, paid for non-Cressois, generates €200,000 in revenue.
“As we had a lull between July 13 and the start of our festival on August 15, we came up with the Jeudis guinguette, with food trucks. We were overwhelmed by the success from the first Thursday…”, smiles Céline Pintard. In 2025, the event is rescheduled. As well as “Frissons au parc”, a Halloween event that mobilizes many residents.
For the BusTram, two stops and delays
The municipality has taken note of the delays on BusTram line 1, the announcement of a commissioning for the end of 2025 is no longer appropriate: “These are files brought by the Métropole, which are long and expensive of course. But Le Crès will have two BusTram stops, that's important! The file for the development of the RN 113 is also long. It's about better protecting against flooding by runoff and the Hydraulic Master Plan is in the process of being completed. Then to determine the possible pockets of urbanization.”
On the urbanization side, the Latelec zone will not see the light of day during this mandate. The 180 planned housing units will only be 150, and appeals from local residents, inflation, and the difficulties of real estate developers have caused the file to be significantly delayed.
From a social point of view, the municipality has just joined the municipal mutual insurance scheme offered by the Métropole, with many requests, and has set up a new social pricing for school meals (€1 per meal for families in the greatest difficulty). “We are trying to take a proactive approach, to reach out to people. This is also why we have relaunched the meal for the elderly. Parcels are good, seeing each other is better”.
Stéphane Champay has not yet said whether he will run again in 2026. “It's too early. The mission is full of joys, and frustrations too.” However, we can guess that the former could to prevail.
“We are entering a more political time”
Since July 9, 2024 and his appointment as vice-president of the Metropolis in charge of urban planning (after the resignation of Montpellier environmentalist Coralie Mantion), the mayor of Crés has not been idle. “I went to meet all the mayors, one by one, to fully understand the issues facing each one. It was very enriching for me. On October 8, the 31 mayors voted to unanimity the new Intercommunal Local Urban Planning Plan and now the public inquiry will start on January 29, for a period of one month. Then the inquiry commissioners will give their opinions, will probably propose adjustments in relation to what will come back from this consultation, and if all goes well, the PLUI will be submitted to the metropolitan council in the summer. We are entering a more political time", said the vice-president who, during his New Year's ceremony at Créegrave;s, saw residents of Vendargues arrive with their files under their arms. "It's logical, everyone has a view of their plot, their municipality, their environment… And there will surely be appeals. But the work was launched in 2019, there is now a strong expectation from the 31 mayors!"