“A staircase that has been closed for more than 10 years is not sustainable” says Stéphane Bern on a visit to Pont
The television host attended the inauguration of the renovated monumental staircase in Pont Saint-Esprit on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. The event brought together the State representative, financiers and elected officials.
The rainy sky on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 did not bode well. But fortunately the sun finally broke through and the morning grayness dissipated. We could not have dreamed of a better event for the day in Pont-Saint-Esprit, namely the inauguration of the Saint-Pierre monumental staircase in Pont-Saint-Esprit. Certainly at the height of the drizzle, it was decided that the ceremony be moved to the neighboring Priory.
An architectural masterpiece that restores the city's attractiveness. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET
This forced sheltering fortunately only lasted long enough for the large audience that came to listen to a dozen speeches, including that of the distinguished guest, the very eloquent and media-friendly TV host Stéphane Bern.
A monumental staircase
The weather hazard finally passed and the inauguration ceremony was able to take place at Place Saint-Pierre in the presence of the sub-prefect Mathias Nieps, the partner organizations of the renovation operation of the monumental staircase and many local elected officials including the mayor of Pont-Saint-Esprit Valère Segal, his predecessor and current regional councilor Claire Lapeyronie and the president of the Agglomeration of Gard rhodanien Jean-Christian Rey. In the crowd, we also saw another former mayor of Pont-Saint-Esprit Roger Castillon.”It is with undisguised joy that we welcome you on the occasion of the inauguration of our monumental staircase,” rejoiced the current first magistrate of the commune, Valère Segal. He thanked the funders of the operation “without whom nothing would have been possible”.
“Heritage, what we have received”
The mayor of Pont-Saint-Esprit Valère Sega (tie) and the host Stéphane Bern. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET
“A staircase near a bridge and a priory that has been closed for more than ten years is not sustainable. It absolutely had to be restored,” underlines Stéphane Bern. Heritage is what we have received from previous generations and that we must pass on.
It is better to pass it on in a better state than the one in which we received it.
In the beginning
The TV host is also passionate about local heritage. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET
“It all started in 2017”, he relates. TV host Stéphane Bern was tasked by President Emmanuel Macron”“to identify”endangered heritage and find innovative solutions to restore it”. Hence the launch of the Heritage Lottery. “I proposed the simple idea of doing draws and scratch cards.” To develop the concept, Stéphane Bern will rely on the Française des Jeux and the Fondation du patrimoine.
“An exceptional work" exclaimed the sub-prefect Mathias Nieps. For him "this staircase will be for Pont-Saint-Esprit to renew its attractiveness and create employment".
The numbers
A project made possible thanks to the generosity of donors. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET
To date, 956 projects have been selected. The Heritage Lottery is 30 million euros per year. Stéphane Bern hammered it home: “My way of serving my country is to defend all of its heritage, including the little things that you don't necessarily see: bridges, wash houses, fountains and bread ovens. Fame obliges you. You must give back to your country what you have received. That's my way of serving my country.”
Classified in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments
“When I had the Saint-Pierre staircase listed as a monument, the supplementary inventory of Historic Monuments in 2014, I was deputy for culture and heritage, I wanted the value of this emblematic building of the city of Pont-Saint-Esprit to be recognized once and for all” declared Claire Lapeyronie. “Today, after six years of collective effort, this staircase has regained all its original majesty within the only remarkable heritage site in the Gard Rhodanien conurbation.”
The Crédit Agricole is one of the donors. “This staircase embodies the history of the town of Pont-Saint-Esprit, its river heritage and its past commercial dynamism” stressed Claude Guigue, Vice-President of the Caisse Régionale du Cédit Agricole du Languedoc.
General Secretary of AXA France and member of the Executive Committee Estelle Guyon Abinal, indicated that she was following in the footsteps of Jacques de Peretti, who was then Chairman and CEO of Axa France and who had come to Pont-Saint-Esprit in September 2020 for the launch of the works and to seal the first anniversary of the partnership between Axa and the Fondation du Patrimoine.
Claude Guigue, Vice-President of the Caisse régionale du crédit agricole du Languedoc
Patrice Genet, Regional Delegate of the Fondation du Patrimoine.
Gaëlle Simonneau, Representative of the Française des Jeux (FDJ) Sud-Est
Estelle Guyon Abinal, Secretary General of AXA France and member of the Executive Committee.
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