From Paul Bocuse to McDonald's, there is only one step ... at least in Lyon.
The city dear to the famous chef who died in 2018 will welcome a new fast-food restaurant from the American brand and the latter will replace a restaurant from the Paul Bocuse group.
This is what has aroused the anger of residents who have launched a petition to prevent this transformation.
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"We have other needs than a 32nd McDonald's in Lyon and we already have other fast food restaurants"
, denounces Alexandre, a Lyonnais very involved in the collective "NAMVI" (Non Au Mcdo Vaise Industrie) which launched the petition after discovering the project on September 25th. Requesting the cancellation of the work authorization granted by the town hall, it collected more than 13,000 signatures.
Originally, it was a Ouest Express restaurant that occupied the location in the Vaise district in the 9th arrondissement of Lyon. Launched by the Bocuse group in 2008, the three establishments - (Lyon and Villefranche-sur-Saône) offer a fast food service
"respecting tastes and flavors"
, explains the website. Eager to sell, the group therefore ceded the premises to the American giant explaining in
Lyon Capital
that
"only McDonald's were able to afford it"
. “
I am not necessarily satisfied. It is far from a failure but this structure no longer corresponded to our expectations and we wanted to preserve the image of the brand.
», Explains Paul-Maurice Morel, general manager of Bocuse establishments in the regional daily.
"Citizen engagement"
"Are we allowing this type of establishment to proliferate?"
, laments Alexandre who sees in his fight a
"civic engagement".
If it wins its case, the collective is campaigning for the creation of a
"hall of local producers in order to favor the farmers of the Metropolis of Lyon"
.
But, he knows the almost futile fight:
“McDonald's is in order.
Basically, there is no way to oppose it ”.
Despite this, he hopes that the mobilization, if it grows, will bend the heavyweight of fast food and force it to give up its establishment.
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For its part, the ecological town hall received the authors of the petition and assured them to support them and
"that they would re-examine the file,"
says Alexandre.
Contacted, neither Grégory Doucet, mayor of Lyon, nor Anne Braibant, mayor of the 9th arrondissement wished to answer the
Figaro's
questions
.
“We did not authorize the installation, since it is a private transaction.
But we regret the symbol.
McDonald's is not really the sustainable food model that we defend, ”
replied Camille Augey, trade assistant at Le
Parisien
.