Puy-Guillaume's farewell to Michel Charasse: "He was a man who loved life"

Emmanuel Macron, Lionel Jospin, Gérard Larcher, Laurent Fabius, Nicole Belloubet, Claude Bartolone ... The inhabitants of Puy-Guillaume (Puy-de-Dôme) have never attended such a parade of political figures in their village. This Wednesday, all came to pay a final tribute to Michel Charasse, who died on February 21 at the age of 78, whose political journey began here in Puy-de-Dôme, in 1977. For more than thirty years , until 2010, this figure of socialism, faithful among the faithful of François Mitterrand, masterfully managed the affairs of this small town of 2,600 souls.

This Wednesday, when it came time to say goodbye to him, it was his simplicity, his strong character and his good-natured side that came back in everyone's mouth. “We saw each other very often, often in friendly circumstances. Michel was a man who loved life, a bon vivant, someone very friendly. We went hunting together and we shared the same passion for cigars, ”recalls Bernard Echel, a former notary in Puy-Guillaume.

Roses in hand, Magali Le François, a parliamentary assistant from Paris, also had a friendly relationship with Charasse. “I met him when I started working in the Senate. He was someone extraordinary, a superior intelligence but who knew how to keep it simple. We had a little place where we liked to have lunch together near the Constitutional Council. "

Roland Virlogeux, former mayor of Paslières, the neighboring village, also remembers an easily accessible man. “From the first meeting, he had to be familiar with him. He could have moments of spectacular flight, even anger, but as soon as we had a problem to solve, it was enough to call him. Local elected officials could count on him. "

A dedicated mayor

Grateful, the inhabitants of Puy-Guillaume as a whole hailed the memory of a mayor "who has done a lot for their commune". This Wednesday morning, they were able to meditate in the village hall, where the coffin of the former minister had been installed, to place flowers or a word on the register of condolences.

In the afternoon, it was from the town hall square where two screens had been installed that they could follow, in the cold but under the sun, the farewell ceremony to their devoted mayor. A time of meditation during which Jean-Yves Goutebel, president of the departmental council of Puy-de-Dôme, then Emmanuel Macron honored the memory of this "ardent defender of secularism. A few weeks ago, he had a word which he then repeated to me: what have I done to God? I replied that he had often teased him, ”confided Jean-Yves Goutebel amused.

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The Head of State greeted him "a lover of the Republic. The French loved you Michel because you looked like them ”. The inhabitants of Puy-Guillaume will miss this red sweater that Michel Charasse liked to wear when he was at home in Auvergne and this cigar so characteristic of his personality.