The Marseille Administrative Court of Appeal has overturned the judgment ordering the removal of the statue of Joan of Arc installed in front of the church of the same name. The dispute concerned the regularity of the public order placed by the Parcs d’Azur authority.
The statue of Joan of Arc, standing five meters tall and covered in gold, will not be dismantled. This is the decision delivered on Thursday, July 17, by the Marseille Administrative Court of Appeal. It thus overturns the judgment of the Nice Administrative Court which, last January, ordered its removal due to a procedural defect.
The case began in February 2024. The prefect of Alpes-Maritimes at the time, Hugues Moutouh, had taken the matter to court. He criticized the metropolitan authority Parcs d’Azur for commissioning the work from Atelier Missor without a competitive process. The project’s cost, estimated at €170,000 excluding taxes, also drew criticism.
The Nice Administrative Court had ruled in favor of the state representative. It argued that the public contract suffered from a “particularly serious defect.” It had demanded the removal of the statue and the reimbursement of the funds paid. Parcs d’Azur and Atelier Missor immediately appealed, supported by the city hall.
The Court of Appeal ruled in their favor. It judged that the order was compliant with article R. 2122-3 of the public procurement code, which allows for the direct purchase of a unique artwork, without a competitive procedure. All arguments raised against the contract were dismissed.
This decision was rendered in joint chambers, under the presidency of the court president. It marks the end of a dispute that had pitted supporters and detractors of the project against each other for several months.
An artwork at the heart of an urban project
The statue was installed in 2023 on the forecourt of the Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc church, in the Libération district. It is part of the landscaping of the public garden located above the parking of the same name. The project was carried out by the Parcs d’Azur authority, a public industrial and commercial institution (EPIC), in connection with the City of Nice.
In a statement, the authority praised the court’s decision. It claims to have acted in accordance with the law, within a complex legal framework. It emphasizes its desire to contribute to the enhancement of public space by installing symbolic elements.
In a statement, the Parcs d’Azur authority praised the court’s decision. It affirms not having sought to circumvent the law, but having “acted with the concern to respect the procedures in force, within a novel and complex legal framework.” The text specifies that the court “dismisses all the arguments raised against the contract,” and emphasizes the will to contribute to the beautification of public space through a symbolic artwork.
The lawyer for the artistic collective, Me Carine Chaix, also welcomed the outcome of the procedure. “We have won: the statue of Joan of Arc is saved! It’s a great victory for the artists I represented, for this beautiful statue of Joan of Arc, and for art!” she told Le Figaro.
Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice and president of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, expressed relief. He had denounced in January a “crusade” against the statue. This time, he lauds “the legitimacy and regularity of a project carried with conviction.”
He also took the opportunity to thank those who contributed to the project’s realization: “I wish to warmly thank André Barthe and Prince Murat, who took the initiative to launch a public subscription to finance the remarkable work of Atelier Missor, as well as all the citizens and patrons who offered their support.”
For the elected official, this mobilization testifies to an attachment to heritage and collective memory. He emphasizes that public space can also provide a means of cohesion.
The statue of Joan of Arc will therefore remain in place, facing the church dedicated to her. The debate surrounding its legitimacy may not be over, but the court has ruled: the procedure was regular, and the work can now be a lasting feature of the Nice landscape.
