Experienced this summer by the city of Nice, at the premises of Face 06, the solidarity restaurant for seniors is reopening permanently on the first floor of the Espace Magnan on November 6.
Between two distributions of pissaladières, Christian Estrosi enters this dining area of the Espace Magnan, which is coming back to life on November 6. Now, on the first floor of the cultural center, it has the atmosphere of a school canteen. This canteen is called Alegria, and its guests have long past the age of attending school. It is the solidarity restaurant intended for isolated or non-taxable seniors in the city of Nice.
Inaugurated last June at 9 rue Alsace-Lorraine, following a unanimous vote in the City Council, the project was implemented in a national context of loss of purchasing power of the population with a 20 to 30% inflation of the food basket in supermarkets.
“The last adjustment variable is deprivation of food. Once you have paid for your insurance, your rent, your transportation, etc., it’s the only thing on which you can still make effort and sacrifices for yourself,” explains the mayor of Nice. To fight against insecurity and withdrawal into oneself, the solidarity canteen offers a complete and balanced lunch for three euros. Already 2,000 menus were served this summer.
Change of address but same promise
This summer experiment turned out to be a success, and thus the municipality and its CCAS decided to make the project permanent. With the start of the university year, the premises of Face 06 have returned to being a social restaurant for students, hence Alegria moved to 31, rue Louis de Coppet. The restaurant, which had closed its doors on August 24, is reopening this time permanently.
The concept remains the same, the guests book in advance and enjoy a quality meal prepared and delivered by the Central Kitchen and its chef Ratatouille, who feeds school boarders in the city with between 28,000 and 30,000 meals a day. On the menu this Monday: country terrine, scrambled eggs, penne with pesto and grated cheese, chanteneige, and a fruit.
“These are short circuits; we make our farmers, producers, wholesalers from the MIN work, and at the same time, it allows people who have been depriving themselves for years to occasionally return to the restaurant, to gather around a table with a tablecloth, to be served, with entertainment for a cost of three euros,” recalls Christian Estrosi.
Recreate social bonds and break isolation
Before this first service of fifty covers, the Niçois anthem rings out. The air of Nissa la Bella played by the present duo of musicians resonates and is sung in unison by the seniors and officials present. Entertainment is precisely at the heart of this initiative imagined by the city because here, the goal is not only to be able to eat at a low cost but also to recreate social links and break isolation.
“Sincerely for the price we pay, we have nothing to complain about. We meet friends, we make acquaintances, we talk, and we become very close. It is a very good initiative; otherwise, we are alone,” testifies Louise Illos, 78 years old, and from Nice for forty years.
After each service, which takes place from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday during school periods and every other week during the holidays, the animators of the City’s Senior Directorate or external speakers and associations offer a festive, artistic, cultural, or sports time for those who wish. Board games, karaoke, dance, blind test, micro shows, or even conferences, event project manager Sophie Vadillo, ensures a varied program is offered.
Two new restaurants during 2024
Christian Estrosi announces the opening in 2024 of two other solidarity restaurants for seniors in other neighborhoods of the city so that 150 meals can be served each day compared to the current 50. The exact addresses are not yet known.
Jennifer Salles Barbosa, deputy in charge of seniors and solidarities, and vice-president of the CCAS of Nice, confides: “We are considering it to ensure that there is an even distribution over the territory. The goal is for it to be accessible and to allow all Niçois, no matter where they live, to come and have a good time with friends.”
