19/7/24 - Heritage - Beynac (Dordogne) - You’d think you were in an Audiard film. Germinal Peiro, President of the Dordogne Departmental Council, dares to do anything. Even representing a project that has been condemned by all the judicial courts, right up to the Conseil d’Etat, which definitively invalidated the Beynac bypass.
Because the project, now renamed "multimodal access loop to both banks of the Dordogne valley, at the heart of the golden triangle of Les Milandes, Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, Marqueyssac and Beynac-et-Cazenac, for new, safe mobility" (sic), is in fact exactly the same as the previous one, disguised by a few additional measures.
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- 1. Structure construite par le département de la Dordogne (état 2018),
condamnée à être détruite par la justice, et toujours en place
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
The original project, which is exactly the identical one in this ’new’ version, consisted of creating a road and two bridges over the Dordogne. It would be catastrophic for the heritage, landscape and biodiversity of the area, so we’ll just refer those who want to know more to the articles we’ve already published. As it is forbidden to represent an identical project, the additions are cosmetic gimmicks that in themselves would not require a public enquiry, such as the reopening of the old Castelnaud-Fayrac station with "ecoparking [sic] provided with permeable surfacing " or the introduction of electric shuttles...
On top of all this, the village of Beynac will be a one-way street during July and August, which will not only complicate the lives of local residents, but will also seriously threaten the survival of the local shops.
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- 1. Structure construite par le département de la Dordogne (état 2018),
condamnée à être détruite par la justice, et toujours en place
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
What Germinal Peiro is attempting to do here is to deny res judicata. The department, which had started work before the appeals were heard, has been ordered to pay heavy fines by the Bordeaux Court of Appeal for failing to restore the site to its original state: €2 million has already been billed to the taxpayers of the Périgord region, a sum that is increasing by €5,000 a day!
We don’t understand how the Prefect of the Dordogne could authorise this project, which has already been judged, to be resubmitted, nor do we understand why he would issue a new authorisation once the public enquiry had been completed. Nevertheless, this is the possible outcome of this case, before it is brought before the courts once again. Of course, it is highly likely that the courts will rule in the same way as they have on previous occasions. But it is clear here that Germinal Peiro, in his sickly fervour, is hoping for the support of the State, of which the accommodating Prefect is ultimately no more than a conveyor belt.
So it’s very important, right now and before midday on 9 August, when the public consultation closes, that all lovers of heritage, whether historical or natural, and all those who love this magnificent region, go and say what they think of this project. The public consultation website can be found here.