Huge rave party underway north of Montpellier, 10,000 revelers are expected until Tuesday morning. The “Trackers”, brothers known internationally, come to celebrate their 20 years on stage in Viols-le-Fort. Between celebrations and traffic jams: a lively Pentecost weekend.
The event is already making a lot of noise north of Montpellier! Since Saturday, May 27 at the end of the evening, the inhabitants around Viols-le-Fort and Viols-en-Laval have seen kilometers of traffic jams.
In question, a rave-party organized on a former military ground at the level of the roundabout of the D986 and the D113.
In a press release, the prefecture specifies “The participants in this illegal rave party are in an area classified as a Natura 2000 area, made up of scrubland and narrow tracks”.
Since midnight, uninterrupted queues of partygoers have been stretching for several kilometres, impatient to reach the site: the drivers honk their horns then end up parking on the road to complete the five kilometers on foot that separate them from the meeting point of the rave party.
According to the Hérault prefecture, joined by France 3 Occitanie this Sunday at the start of the afternoon, a thousand vehicles were already on site. The Lodève gendarmerie is also present in the field with addiction prevention associations. The gendarmes should increase blood alcohol and narcotics controls around the site.
To continue to connect the different municipalities, many diversions have been put in place. You have to pass in the direction of Saint-Mathieu-de-Tréviers otherwise the road is blocked on the three traffic lanes.
Sophie, a resident of the area, tells us. “Last night, colleagues took three hours to return from Montpellier to St Martin-de-Londres”. Before adding that after having spent the evening in a bar in Viols-le-Fort, it was impossible for her to return home at one o’clock in the morning.
A situation that already worries some residents, like this breeder who speaks on Twitter.
In total, nearly 10,000 partygoers are expected to celebrate 20 years on the “Trackers” stage, brothers known internationally. According to the prefecture,nearly 6,000 people and 1,500 vehicles” are already on site this Sunday afternoon.
On the license plates, the witnesses spot that the revelers come from all walks of life: Narbonne, Clermont-Ferrand or even from Spain. “They are people from all walks of life, curious, regular partygoers” describes Sophie, a local resident.
I, who am from the area, am somewhat used to such events. But there have never been so many people. We had been warned a bit about it but we weren’t expecting something of such magnitude, we haven’t seen that since 2008!
Sophie, local resident
“Since that night, around fifty gendarmes have been mobilized on the system in order to facilitate traffic and secure the surroundings. The perimeter is monitored to prevent the arrival of new participants and numerous checks have been put in place”details the prefecture of Hérault in a press release.
The forces of order are supported by the helicopter of the departmental gendarmerie which carries out regular overflights.
At the same time, the permanent sub-prefect Pierre Castoldi has hired La Croix Rouge 34 to set up a health system.
Faced with the risk of fire and the difficulties of access for emergency services, the organizers were made aware by the firefighters of SDIS 34 and the gendarmes. In addition, five risk prevention associations are present on site (Bus 31/32, Ripostes, Tipi Asud, Axess Festif, TKT Crew).
This gigantic musical and festive gathering should last all weekend and even until Tuesday morning.