Overview
- The small coastal commune launched an open tender with an administrative ceiling of €80,000 for champagne for year-end festivities.
- The mayor, Alain Ferrand, says part of the bottles will go into gift baskets for elderly residents and the remainder will be sold to firms hosting events at the town’s Christmas market.
- Ferrand argues the ceiling does not fix the final spend and says he could order less than the maximum amount.
- Opposition councillor Virginie Brodin calls the plan excessive and indecent, urging that funds be redirected to municipal services.
- Media estimates suggest roughly 5,000 bottles for a town of about 6,000 inhabitants, and the purchase is drawing extra scrutiny given ongoing legal cases involving the mayor and the approaching municipal elections.