On the sidelines of our visit to Alpha Park, Nice Première went to meet one of the figures of the hinterland, the Mayor of Saint Martin Vésubie, Mr. Gaston Franco. An interview with a lover of his village, of the mountains, and a fervent defender of a wolf who could not find a better refuge than in the forests of the one children call “Robin Hood”…
Nice Première: Gaston Franco, can you introduce yourself to the readers of Nice Première?
Gaston Franco: I am 62 years old. I serve as the Mayor of Saint Martin Vésubie and have been elected Vice President of the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes since 1985. I also hold the position of Director of Tourism for the City of Nice. I have also been a Deputy and I am President of COFOR.
NP: You are the President of the association of forest communities of Alpes-Maritimes. What does your role involve and what are the activities of your association?
GF: President for five years. The wood resource is very important in the department which has a large number of heavily wooded municipalities. Indeed, more than 100 municipalities are classified as forest communities in the 06 area code. It is important to defend and enhance our woods but also to help Mayors manage and market this wood. There are five sawmills in Alpes-Maritimes and a partnership agreement will soon be signed in this regard with our neighbors and friends from Piedmont. We need to advance the industry through the sale and delivery of wood.
And then it goes towards sustainable forest maintenance, we must preserve our precious woods. We also work in collaboration with livestock breeders and regularly inform about clearing and fire prevention. A forest needs cultivation. We also place great importance on welcoming city dwellers to the forest with the National Forestry Office.
NP: You are also a General Councillor. What are your duties within the department’s management body?
GF: Before Christian Estrosi, I was vice-chair for Agriculture, mountains, and forests. Since then, I am responsible for tourism within the General Council and the Presidency of the CRT.
NP: The wolf has been much talked about in recent years. What is your position on this mythical animal of our forests?
GF: I am neither pro-wolf nor anti-wolf, but it is in my area that it returned, in November 1992, in the Mollières valley. We perhaps kept this information secret for too long and that’s probably where the discomfort about a hypothetical reintroduction of the wolf in the Mercantour began. During the winter, the return of the wolf did not pose a problem but by spring, with sometimes too much media coverage, the first tremors occurred. The myth of the reintroduction of the wolf was born. Personally, I do not believe in it.
I even went to the Abruzzo in Italy to learn more about wolves that have been protected for over 40 years. Here, the wolf is the Devil, in Italy, it’s quite different: the relationship is much less controversial (example of Romulus and Remus).
I repeat, the wolf came back naturally and we must adapt.
NP: Why is it only in France that cohabitation with the wolf presents problems? Don’t you think that French shepherds should take inspiration from their Italian or Spanish counterparts?
GF: It’s a real cultural problem. Sheep farming is not traditional. Today, successive governments have never been able to find a solution. Compensations are too often the solutions. The General Council has put around 750,000 euros on the table to offer human help to shepherds. It’s time to set the record straight and perhaps think about making herds smaller like in Italy.
NP: Let’s get back to our sheep! You are the charismatic Mayor of Saint Martin Vésubie. What’s the news from this little gem of Vésubie?
GF: A few mayors have realized that we are no longer the hinterland but are an alternative to city life. I have tried, and still try every day, to reconcile the National Park and my municipality. We must take the trouble to explain to people the importance of sustainable development. My ambition is not to be the dormitory city of Carros.
We have 20 newly established companies. A sawmill that has created 8 jobs. I am also working on the rehabilitation of the old center and on housing for active workers. Women’s employment is also one of my priorities. We also do a lot of work on nature activities. I am not a big fan of motor sports in the mountains. We have signed a partnership agreement with OGC Nice and we are working on the creation of a fitness center for high-level sports teams.
Finally, we are the commune in the high country that organizes the most events (42 this year!). And we plan to open a 800 m2 media library by the end of the year.
NP: What are Mr. Gaston Franco’s projects?
GF: The creation in the Haut Boréon of a center for the initiation of sustainable development. Taking city children to discover the mountains. These are not just outdoor outings but real training sessions on nature. I am also passionate about new technologies. I have a project for mini computers that will allow hikers to follow their route by GPS and also to provide them with information on everything around their walk (animals, nature, strategic points…)
NP: And finally, if Gaston Franco were: a forest, a tree, and an animal?
GF: A forest: Larch forest (Cavalet).
A tree: A larch.
An animal: A wolf or a bear.
