The leaders of the Viaduc Village Aveyron project gathered at La Cavalerie

Bertrand Boullé a mené les débats durant la conférence. Midi Libre – Clément Arnal

A few weeks before their hearing by the National Commercial Development Commission (CNAC), scheduled for July 27, the leaders of the Viaduc Village Aveyron project held a press conference, this Thursday, July 6 at La Cavalerie, to recall the economic issues of the brand village and defuse the arguments of opponents of the project.

"The next few weeks will be decisive for the progress of the file". This is how François Rodriguez, mayor of La Cavalerie, introduced the press conference on Thursday July 6 in the city's new municipal council room. A little more than two months after the appeal filed by the Prefect of Aveyron against the Viaduc Village Aveyron project.

A "dogmatic"opposition

Local elected officials, representatives of the surrounding hotel, catering and tourism sectors, as well as those behind the brand village project were gathered to respond to criticism from opponents, it&# 39;that is to say to "a few highly placed individuals in Aveyron, who say they do not want the project for political reasons that suit them", in the words of Bertrand Boullé , representative of the project investor. An allusion to the mayors of Millau and Saint-Affrique, to the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dominique Coste and to the prefect Charles Giusti.

"I would have liked to speak with Emmanuelle Gazel, he continues, but I's never been able to. I offered him my services to develop downtown businesses and, again, no response. I would have liked to debate substantive arguments but these are only dogmatic arguments."

"The Viaduct is like the Eiffel Tower for us."

Opponents believe that this development will weaken the health of downtown businesses. "The promoter has financial arguments. We have economic and commercial arguments to make,” declared Dominique Coste earlier in the week. A false debate for Bertrand Boullé, spinning a mechanical metaphor: Ferrari buyers are not competing with Renault. Certainly, but they don't necessarily visit their dealerships either.

In any case, the project seems to appeal to a certain number of local players, such as Hugo Bonneviale, manager of the Golf Café de Millau "C&#39 ;it's a shame that it's taking so long, it would be crazy not to carry out this project." Same story with Jean-Pierre Laur, representative of Roquefort Gabriel Coulet. "At the time of the construction of the Viaduct, many people were against it. Today, the Viaduct is like the Eiffel Tower for us."

Faced with expectations of a new influx of tourists, "hundreds of thousands", predicts Jean-Pierre Laur,  the question is' is posed. How can we be sure that these buyers of luxury products, often in transit to the Mediterranean, actually make a detour of several hours or even several days in Aveyron ? "It's up to us to do the work so that&# “There are spin-offs,” replies Christophe Laborie, the other brand village cases have shown that there was reciprocity of exchanges. hearing of the promoters by the CNAC, following the Prefect's appeal, is scheduled for July 27.