Midi Libre rewards its information sentinels

Ils sont venus des quatre coins de la Lozère et de l’Aveyron pour rencontrer les journalistes de la rédaction. Giacomo Italiano

La rédaction a réuni à Buzeins ses correspondants de l’Aveyron et de la Lozère afin de les remercier pour leur engagement au quotidien.

The annual Midi Libre correspondents' party usually took place at the newspaper's headquarters in Saint-Jean-de-Védas. Change this year, and to save Aveyron residents and Lozériens from this long journey to the Montpellier metropolis, the party came to them! For these corresponding assets, an appointment was made this Tuesday, June 25 in the evening at the house of dolmens in Buzeins, a village in Aveyron renowned for its megalithic constructions.

A formidable territorial network

And if the newspaper does not yet have the canonical age of these venerable prehistoric monuments, it has been reporting to its readers on the news of our departments for more than 80 years. This mission would be impossible without a formidable network of local correspondents, true sentinels of information, as deputy editor-in-chief Estelle Devic underlined: "I am delighted to have this mission! be with you! Always in the field, you are indeed essential, because in direct contact with our readers and ready to convey their feelings and expectations to us."

Correspondents participate in a literary jury

The Correspondents’ Day is also an opportunity to reward the men and women most committed to covering the news in their territory (see below). Everyone left with several gifts, including the novel by Marion Fayolle entitled Du meme bois, winner of the 2024 Midi Libre-Sauramps "Habiter le monde" prize. This fourth literary prize initiated by our newspaper allowed correspondents to express themselves. Five of them were in fact selected to constitute a pre-jury, whose voice was then represented within the final jury by the journalist Édith Lefranc, deputy head of the Villages and proximity department. She welcomed the experience and promised to repeat the exercise next year.

Caricatures of Man

Several raffle draws also allowed the lucky ones to win a tasty portrait signed Man, the famous newspaper cartoonist present that evening. Before enjoying a generous cocktail accompanied by the musical notes of guitarist Jean-Baptiste Sobas, Édith Lefranc invited the correspondents present to continue their mission of witnessing the life of our territories. As we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Liberation, the importance of press freedom was recalled.

Initiative price

It was Stéphanie Bouloir, head of the Mende agency, who had the honor of presenting the first prize of the evening to Pierre Divol, correspondent for Ventallon in Cévennes. In a beautiful article, this one indeed put the spotlight on a couple of teachers who came to settle in the heart of the Cévennes to carry out a complete reconversion, since they launched into making craft beer and raising laying hens! An opportunity for Midi Libre to highlight the economic activity of our villages.

Pierre Divol and Stéphanie Bouloir. Giacomo Italiano

Initiative price

The Montlaur correspondent, Jean-Michel Mouls, received the second prize for the initiative from the head of the Millau agency, Frédéric Mayet, for his portrait of Abdel Harzallah, an employee at the Galamans farm. A unique journey since nothing predestined this young Algerian, who had first trained as a farrier in Marseille, to begin a career as a shepherd. Jean-Michel Mouls recounted in his article this original route which led Abdel Harzallah to Aveyron.

Jean-Michel Mouls and Frédéric Mayet. Giacomo Italiano

Alert price

Estelle Devic awarded Pierre Abric, correspondent from Saint-Rome-de-Tarn, the alert prize, for his responsiveness on the occasion of a tragic news item. A reward which allowed us to honor the Abric family, since we have been correspondents there from father to son since 1986! "I took over in 2004, declared Pierre Abric. I have just been rewarded for a subject evoking firefighters. It’s funny because my father René also won an award several decades ago for a photo… of firefighters !"

Estelle Devic and Pierre Abric. Giacomo Italiano

Prix de l’insolite

Stéphanie Bouloir presented Thierry Charamond, correspondent from Langogne, with the prize for the unusual. The reason for this award? His article on the unexpected presence of a raccoon in a garden in the peaceful village. Looking for her cat, the owner of the place was stunned to come face to face with the animal, which is uncommon in the region. Thierry Charamond managed to take a nice photo of the specimen, which attracted many Internet users to the Midi Libre website!

Thierry Charamond and Stéphanie Bouloir. Giacomo Italiano

Environmental price

Deputy head of the Villages and proximity department, Edith Lefranc awarded the environment prize to the correspondent from Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole. Georges Chassang was rewarded for his article on the installation of dry toilets on the route to Santiago de Compostela. Information that may seem anecdotal, but which highlights the work of Midi Libre correspondents to promote initiatives – numerous in our region – aimed at protecting nature.

Georges Chassang and Edith Lefranc. Giacomo Italiano

Territory price

The correspondent from Saint-Sever-du-Moustier, Audrey Bregou, received an award from Frédéric Mayet for a report on the opening of a farmer's café called l& rsquo;Espinguette. It is run by Cécile Sénégas and Jean Armengaud, who are in fact both farmers and cafe owners, marketing the products of their farm in their establishment. A beautiful adventure highlighted by Audrey Bregou through an article presenting the journey and the beginnings of the young couple in the village.

Audrey Bregou and Frédéric Mayet. Giacomo Italiano