Busy stadium in Balaruc-le-Vieux: story of failed mediation between the Agglopôle de Sète and travelers

Le campement des gens du voyage sur le stade de Balaruc-le-Vieux Midi Libre – Thomas Ancona-Léger

À Balaruc-le-Vieux, le stade municipal est toujours occupé. Retour sur l'histoire d'une médiation qui a échoué entre l'Agglopôle de Sète et les gens du voyage.

The motorists who pass every day on the D600 in Balaruc-le-Vieux have noticed this: the travelers who have settled in the municipal stadium André-Subirats are still there. And this despite the prefectural decree of February 19 notifying the expulsion of caravans within 24 hours. Among the occupants are a few families who previously were housed in the Frontignan reception area, which is currently under construction. 

As indicated in a previous article, these people would be, according to the expression of the Agglopôle, "in the process of settling down". They were expelled from the Frontignan area in September 2023, before the start of the work, although they were, still according to the Agglopôle "in a situation of recurring unpaid debts". As a reminder, it is the latter which has responsibility for welcoming Travelers, which includes the maintenance and management of reception areas, but also family rental land. 

Work in 2019

It is therefore legitimate that it takes back control of the management of the Frontignan reception area in 2021, after &quot ;the delegated management of the areas did not make it possible to return to satisfactory functioning". Indeed, in 2019, work had already been undertaken to repair the site following "damage caused by some of the settled households&quot ;. In 2023, having noted non-compliance with the pricing  "au package " which does not "make it possible to cover operating costs", the choice is therefore made to change the payment system in order to " empower" users. For this, work is therefore necessary to bring the site into compliance with these new constraints. 

A mediation that fails

This is where the expulsion of four households "in a situation of recurring unpaid debts comes into play" last September, some of which are today at the Balaruc-le-Vieux stadium. "To carry out this work, it was necessary for the 16 households occupying the site to vacate it", affirms the Agglopôle. Mediation is then attempted and several sites are offered to the remaining reluctant households. All "refused without grounds", according to the Agglopôle, for whom this refusal is not "not heard". This failed mediation results in the deadlock situation that we are currently experiencing.