Johanna Rolland and Jean Castex during the Prime Minister's visit to Nantes, February 26, 2021 -

S. Salom Gomis / SIPA

  • A good financial envelope for Nantes was promised by the Prime Minister this Friday morning.

  • Funding for the reconstruction of the cathedral, the future CHU and the soundproofing fund for residents of Nantes-Atlantique airport have been announced.

Two weeks after the President of the Republic, Prime Minister Jean Castex has been in Nantes since Friday morning for a quick visit and all-out announcements.

If this trip was intended first to send a strong signal to large metropolises, with whom an "agreement on method" around economic recovery will mobilize an envelope of 10 billion euros, Jean Castex took the opportunity to make some promises to Johanna Rolland, the president of Nantes Métropole, on various hot issues in the region.

While he had moved to the square of the cathedral just after the disaster, the Prime Minister returned there this Friday noon to announce that the government was going to "maintain and amplify its support" for the restoration of this building, damaged by a fire last July.

Jean Castex thus indicated that an envelope of ten million euros will be allocated by the State for reconstruction, which should take several more years after the clean-up operations began in December.

Money for the future CHU and residents of the airport

Locally challenged, the project for a new CHU on the island of Nantes was supported by the Prime Minister.

This morning, he also committed to a financial extension, equal to 175 million euros, "in order to secure this major achievement for the Nantes metropolis and beyond," said the Prime Minister during a speech in the premises of Nantes Métropole.

"The State will allocate a budget of 400 million euros, or 40% of the total cost, for the reconstruction of the Nantes University Hospital", he said.

Another sensitive issue, that of the airport, was also the subject of an announcement while elected officials have again recently put pressure on the State to protect residents from nuisances, following the the abandonment of the transfer to Notre-Dame-des-Landes three years ago.

This Friday, Jean Castex announced that the soundproofing aid fund for residents of Nantes-Atlantique would be increased by 6 million euros.

No details on the other expected measures, such as the establishment of the right of abandonment for owners resigned to the sale, or support for travel to schools.

Local stimulus contract

To reach the headquarters of Nantes Métropole, Jean Castex was able to take advantage of a short Navibus ride to cross the Loire and a quick trip by city natural gas (NGV) bus.

His visit on the theme of ecological transition began earlier this morning at the Rezé wastewater treatment plant, which treats wastewater from part of the south-Loire.

This plant takes advantage of the sludge to produce biogas, which will soon be reinjected into the town gas system in the form of biomethane.

Our Nantes dossier

​

The future work planned in this station will benefit from funds coming from the relaunch contract signed Friday, which contains aid of 1.5 billion euros for the metropolis.

Nantes

Nantes airport: The elected officials of the municipalities overflown raise the tone to limit the nuisance

Politics

Emmanuel Macron goes to Nantes to encourage the access of young people to the public service

  • Jean Castex

  • Johanna rolland

  • Airport

  • Cathedral

  • Nantes