It is now official, the first metropolis of France will be born on January 1, 2012. This has just been confirmed by the ministerial decree of October 17, 2011, establishing the creation of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, effective from January 1, 2012, which has just been published in the Official Gazette of the French Republic on Tuesday, October 18, 2011.
On January 1, 2012, the first Metropolis of France will unite the Urban Community of Nice Côte d’Azur and three Communal Communities: those of Vésubie, Tinée, and Stations du Mercantour, thus representing 545,000 inhabitants.
This project of a perimeter grouping 46 communes results from the will of these 4 intercommunalities to create a Metropolis by fusion. 87% of the communes representing 97.5% of the total population of the metropolitan territory have voted positively on this creation.
“This is a historic moment for our territory; the first Metropolis of France is part of the dynamic of the law on the reform of local authorities. This living area between sea and mountains, between Baie des Anges and the peaks of Mercantour, will allow the development of territorial solidarities on a large scale and enhance the national and international attractiveness of this exceptional territory. At a time when many question intercommunality, we are pleased to be the first territory to have embarked on this approach of solidarity and unity,” declared Christian Estrosi, Deputy Mayor of Nice, President of Nice Côte d’Azur, Fernand Blanchi, President of the Communal Community of Tinée, Gérard Manfredi, President of the Communal Community of Vésubie Mercantour, and Jean-Marie Bogini, President of the Communal Community of the Stations of Mercantour.
