Bagnols-sur-Cèze: Henri Viannay worked to make “this world more beautiful, more joyful”

Henri Viannay chaired the tourist office association for a long time. As an elected official, he participated in the creation of the Saint-Maur Rhone art space and the creation of the media library. Photo archives Mikaël Anisset – Midi Libre

The Bagnolais of Nîmes origin died at the age of 89. School director, deputy to mayor Gérard Revol, he has invested a lot in providing access to culture for all Bagnolais. Tribute. 

Henri Viannay left this world at the age of 89. The native of Nîmes had joined the Normal School of the city of Antonin and then was appointed to Vers-Pont-du-Gard. He arrived in Bagnols-sur-Cèze in the 1960s, working in Les Escanaux. Then, from 1962 until his retirement in 1990, he was a teacher and director of the Ancyse school (Célestin-Freinet) from its creation. He was a “post-war schoolteacher, completely immersed in popular education. He taught classes and every summer, he organized summer camps, at the sea or in the mountains", testifies her friend school psychologist Jacqueline Martinet.
Henri Viannay invested enormously in the life of his city. He was "un actor committed to providing access to culture for all Bagnolais", summarizes Michel Aberlen of the Lascours Academy, of which Henri Viannay was an emeritus member. With his wife Odette, he worked for the twinning committee. And also to the association of Friends of the museum, Friends of Rabelais and the Academy of Lascours. He was a member of the Committee of Wise Men.

"His policy was humanism" 

Henri Viannay was deputy to Mayor Gérard Revol from 1995 to 2001, in charge of personnel and culture. "He’was a friend. He was very rigorous, honest, he was interested in many things. He gave a lecture on the extraordinary Apollinaire for the Academy of Lascours. He was cultured and tolerant. His policy was humanism, summarizes the former socialist mayor. With his colleagues, Henri Viannay led the projects to create the Saint-Maur Rhone art space and the media library (inaugurated in 2001). The transfer of the library from Place Mallet to the Saint-Gilles island with the creation of a media library was also supported by Mireille Justamond. The director at the time recalls: "Thanks to Léon Alègre who created the first cantonal library-museum in France in 1858, there was a great tradition of public reading in Bagnols , a very significant memory among all the elected officials I have worked with […]. Henri understood the benefit for a small town of creating a media library. He was a good leader of men. And he had the transmission in his skin." Marie-Claude Ramadier, elected during this same mandate, adds:  "We tried to work to make culture accessible to as many people as possible. He was an effective collaborator, he was popular in Bagnols. He campaigned a lot for the cultural office and for the tourist office." 

"The spirit of Bagnols anchored to the body"

Indeed, his commitment to tourism lasted twenty years, he was president and vice-president of the Bagnols-Pont-Saint-Esprit tourist office association. Gyslène Bernardet, director of the tourist office from 1992 to 2013, remembers: "The members of the association were always at our side, us staff members. Henri was cheerful, dynamic, helpful. He helped us a lot in organizing visits to villages, the flower market…"
He also deployed his energy for the humor festival . "Despite the sorrows he had experienced, he had a positive outlook on the world. He ensured that we were in the best of all possible worlds, that this world was more beautiful, more joyful", underlines Jacqueline Martinet. Mayor Jean-Yves Chapelet also worked with him a lot: "His personnel management was very human [… ]. He was also a great neighbor, who did a lot for the neighborhood. He had the spirit of Bagnols anchored to his body."
The funeral of Henri Viannay will be celebrated this Saturday, May 25, at 11 a.m., with a meditation at the Nîmes crematorium, followed by cremation. To his family and loved ones, Midi Libre sends his sincere condolences.

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