Mont Saint Michel mayor accused of forcing tourists to walk past his hotels

In response, Mr Vannier, said: "I truly defended, as I always have done, the public interest."

He claimed he was only seeking to reduce ticket prices and transport costs.

The court case is the latest round in an ongoing battle between Mr Vannier and his chief rival, Patrick Gaulois ? Mont Saint Michel's mayor from 2001 to 2008.

Between them, the pair own or have a hand in more than 40 hotels, restaurants or shops in and around the site. Mr Vannier runs the

famous M?re Poulard restaurants, now a multinational food brand. Along with a handful of other families, the pair had shared the economic spoils of this hugely popular tourist attraction for decades.

The "shuttle scandal", as the French have dubbed the row, has shattered their truce however.

It was sparked by a 185 million-euro project to flush away 106 million cubic feet of silt and sand to restore Mont Saint Michel to a true island.

In the 8th century the mount was surrounded by water three miles out to sea in the bay where Normandy and Brittany meet. Over hundreds of years however, it gradually became beached on sand deposits.

A partly EU-funded project is under way using a new dam at the mouth of the river Couesnon, two miles from the mount to gradually remove the silt and sand between the Mont and the "continent".

As part of the project, the car and coach parks on salt flats at the foot of the Mont, were demolished, a bridge built, and a new car park set up further inland. The new shuttle service has been in operation since last April.

Mr Gaulois filed a legal complaint over the shuttle service last February, leading to prosecutors to press criminal charges.

Speaking before the trial, he said: "I don't want the Mont to become an amusement park ... with Poulard (Mr Vallini's flagship brand) everywhere."

Mr Vannier's lawyer argued that he had only acted "in the name of love for the Mont".

The case continues.

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568507/s/281076ee/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cnews0Cworldnews0Ceurope0Cfrance0C98378510CMont0ESaint0EMichel0Emayor0Eaccused0Eof0Eforcing0Etourists0Eto0Ewalk0Epast0Ehis0Ehotels0Bhtml/story01.htm

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