The spotlights will again be on this Friday evening (7:30 p.m.), towards the Jean-Bouin stadium in Paris, where FC Versailles 78 welcomes the leader Dunkirk, during the 5th day of National. A duel between the 5th and the 1st which will not be played in the historic enclosure of the promoted, since the latter has found refuge in the capital due to the non-approval of its Montbauron stadium (7,500 seats).
Its proximity to the Palace of Versailles has so far prevented it from having lighting for matches played at night. The residence of Louis XIV being classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it must retain the benefit of visual protection. Both on the garden side and on the city side, and within a perimeter of five kilometres, no building, no crane or any… pylon must exceed it at the risk of distorting it and its surroundings.
But in the land of the Sun King, the revolution is – finally – underway. The architects of the Buildings of France (ABF) have indeed just given the green light to begin the installation of four pylons of 18 meters. The news was made public at the beginning of August by a display from the town hall at the entrance to the Montbauron stadium and the end of the appeal period will take place at the beginning of October.
The new leaders, carried by the real estate group City (formerly Fiducim), had resumed discussions with the ABF after the incredible past season (rise in National and semi-final of the Coupe de France).
A bill of 800,000 euros paid by the town hall
State officials seem to have been sensitive to the fact that the height of the masts has been lowered from 24 to a maximum of 18 meters, considerably reducing visual pollution. This device, which will not be approved for Ligue 2, will nevertheless imply a derogation from the French Football Federation (FFF), its regulations imposing 24-meter pylons.
Even if the timetable is not yet known, the works should not take place before the beginning of 2023 and Versailles will therefore end its entire season (in progress) at the Jean-Bouin stadium in Paris.
The bill for the new equipment will amount to 800,000 euros and will be paid by the municipality. For its part, the club will take responsibility for the development of additional and temporary locker rooms at the Porchefontaine stadium, training site. The leaders are also looking for a place to set up their future training center.
In the meantime, the players want to continue to mark “their territory” by signing this Friday evening a third victory in as many games at the Jean-Bouin stadium.
