A petition against the departure of Mont-Saint-Michel from the CMN

A petition has been launched by inter-union groups against the transfer of Mont-Saint-Michel from the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN) to the newly created public establishment of Mont-Saint-Michel, a long-standing demand of the Normandy region. The decision, made under President Emmanuel Macron and pushed by current Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu (a Norman elected official), is described as disastrous for heritage. The petition argues that the CMN relies on revenue from major monuments like Mont-Saint-Michel, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Sainte-Chapelle to fund the upkeep and restoration of less-visited sites such as the Château de Carrouges and the Abbey of Montmajour.

This matters because the transfer threatens the fragile financial balance of the CMN, which manages 110 monuments. Removing one of France's most visited and iconic sites could set a precedent, following the earlier separation of Chambord and Haut-Koenigsbourg castles from the CMN. Critics warn that the new public establishment lacks the resources and expertise to properly maintain and restore Mont-Saint-Michel's abbey, potentially endangering not only this monument but the entire network of state-owned heritage sites. The petition frames the move as a purely clientelist political decision that could lead to further dismantling of the CMN.