Transport on the rise in Montpellier, swimming emergency plan, class closures… the essential news in the region

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Chaque soir à 20 h 30, retrouvez les 5 informations régionales de la journée qu’il ne fallait pas rater.

Transports en commun : des prix en hausse

#MONTPELLIER – From September 1, 2024, public transport prices in Montpellier and its metropolis will increase. This is what Mayor Mickaël Delafosse announced on Tuesday July 9 in full council. Concretely, the ticket will increase from 1.60 euros to 1.90 euros and the book of 10 tickets from 10 to 15 euros, as well as all subscriptions for non-residents who do not benefit from the Free Pass. "With a 38% increase in the cost of energy, and even 50% since 2022, all major cities have changed their price scale", a justified the elected representative for transport, Julie Frêche.

The number of the day: 16

#HERAULT –This is the number of 1st degree classes that will close in Hérault at the start of the 2024 school year. This is what the academic director of national education services announced , Catherine Côme, July 8. At the same time, 14 classes will be open. The obligation of large section classes capped at 24 students – "one of my priorities", specifies Catherine Côme. The unions consider that these are insufficient, while the average per class in Europe is 19.

The emergency plan is launched on the Hérault coast

#BATHING –In summer, Hérault must adapt its rescue services to the influx of bathers and water sports activities, on a coastline that includes 90 km of coastline and 24,000 ha of lagoons. On Wednesday, the prefect of Hérault, François-Xavier Lauch, presented the coastal rescue plan. This year, there are 75 rescue stations (six more than in 2023) dotted across the territory, from La Grande-Motte to Vendres, with stations inland, on the banks of lakes and rivers. Most of the rescue stations are managed by 250 volunteer firefighters, SNCM lifeguards or territorial agents, who ensure the supervision of bathing areas. The Regional Health Agency monitors water quality by taking samples throughout the summer.

IGP wines from Gard between crisis and challenges

#VITICULTURE – In the Gard, IGP wines are going through a delicate period. Wednesday, during a press conference in Nîmes, Denis Verdier, president of the IGP du Gard wine federation, described a tense situation: "If we look at the dimension of production, we are entering a difficult crisis."The decline in wine consumption, competition from Spanish imports and the fall in sales prices contrasting with the increase in production costs are all factors in this crisis. Faced with these challenges, Gard professionals are focusing on innovation and product diversification. Christophe Aguilar, president of IGP Pont du Gard, insisted: « For me, there is still a lot of future in wine. » Thus, wine tourism remains a crucial lever for the promotion of IGP wines. This summer, there is no shortage of events: Cévennes Wine Festival in Anduze (July 19 to 21); wine festival in Saint-Ambroix (August 4); Les Vignerons sur le Pont every Wednesday at the Pont du Gard (July 17 to August 21).

The Yard VFX is expanding

#SPECIAL EFFECTS – Already present in Montpellier for a year, The Yard VFX, a 100% French digital special effects studio, is growing. Faced with success, Laurens Ehrmann, founder of the company, chose to move into 650 m², in the Saint-Roch train station area. This acquisition represents an investment of 1.5 million euros. Currently, the studio is recruiting specialists in digital special effects and hopes to bring together around twenty collaborators by the end of 2024. By founding The Yard VFX in 2014, Laurens Ehrmann displayed his international ambition, with the Minuscule 2 project. Le Mans 66, in 2019, by James Mangold, propelled the studio into the Hollywood spheres.

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