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More flights to launch connecting Var to Paris
Transavia will add two weekly return services from November
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Hundreds of Bordeaux residents selected at random to take part in mairie’s decisions
Citizens will be able to raise neighbourhood concerns, suggest projects and advise on how local funds are spent
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Brittany Ferries ends cross-Channel route earlier than planned
It comes as the ferry company expands capacity on Ireland routes
Residents use crowd-funding to help towns
Two Brittany communes have called on residents to help fund works by joining crowd-funding campaigns which give a double benefit: a project that boosts the town and a financial bonus for the residents who invest.
Saint-Brieuc was first in the world to use crowd-funding when it started a project on the Collecticity (collecticity.fr) website to fund solar panels on its job centre roof.
The €8,400 needed was raised in 20 days from 22 investors who will be repaid over five years at an interest rate of 2.25% – better than the banks are offering savers.
It was followed by Langouët, also in Brittany, which was planning a study on “user-friendly habitats for the benefit of the environment and the inhabitants”. It had most of the finance in place but was €40,000 short – and found it within days through the site. Lenders will receive 2% interest over six years – and two-thirds of the 37 investors were residents in the commune.
In Haute-Garonne, Empeaux sought donors not investors to fund €3,000 for repairs on the church roof and they can write off 66% against tax.
