Marie Lavandier, president of the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN), appeared before the French Senate's Culture Committee on May 27, 2026, to present her "CMN 2030" roadmap focused on visitor services, preventive monument maintenance, and citizen engagement. However, the hearing was dominated by the future of Mont-Saint-Michel abbey, as the Établissement public industriel et commercial (Epic) du Mont-Saint-Michel—created in 2019 to manage access and infrastructure—seeks expanded governance, supported by Norman elected officials and the Cour des comptes. Lavandier did not confirm an imminent state arbitration but noted the CMN-Epic convention was extended to June 30, signaling a pending high-level decision.
This matter matters because Mont-Saint-Michel is one of only five revenue-generating monuments that fund the CMN's cross-subsidization mechanism, alongside the Arc de Triomphe, Sainte-Chapelle, Panthéon, and Conciergerie. Losing the abbey would mean a loss of €7–8 million annually, threatening the financial viability of dozens of rural monuments that cannot sustain themselves. The dispute highlights a broader tension in French heritage policy: whether to prioritize local territorial financing or national solidarity. Senators warned the outcome would serve as a test for the state's heritage strategy, while Lavandier argued the CMN has invested €35 million in the site over 15 years and planned €50 million more.