Illegal rave at military site draws 40K partygoers
CORNUSSE, FRANCE—Up to 40,000 partygoers gathered on Saturday for an illegal rave at a military site in France, defying warnings about the risk of possible explosions from old ordnance.
Thumping techno music echoed across a vast firing range near the central French town of Bourges as revelers—many dressed in brightly colored outfits, others shirtless—assembled for the unauthorized event known as a “free party,” which began on Friday.
A free party is usually an illegal form of rave rooted in anti-establishment culture. They are held without permission in remote locations, and admission is free or by donation.
“I had heard there were going to be a lot of people, but once you’re there, it’s still a shock to see so many people gathered in one place,” said a 22-year-old man who did not want to be named.
Behind them, tents and vans stretched across the grassy field.
Authorities had estimated attendance at 20,000 on Saturday morning, but more ravers arrived during the day and Tekno Anti Rep, a free party support network present at the site, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) the total was between 35,000 and 40,000 by the evening.
Bomb disposal experts had to intervene after a shell was discovered near a road passing through the party site, the local officials said.
‘Unexploded ordnance’
The gathering comes as the French parliament is seeking to tighten legislation against unauthorized rave parties, introducing prison sentences for organizers and fines for attendees.
“Despite its illegal nature, the government has mobilized to ensure the safety of this event and limit any disturbances,” the prefecture said.
Philippe Le Moing Surzur, the local prefect, said the site was “extremely dangerous due to the unexploded ordnance it may contain.”
While modern shells posed no threat, he warned of the risk from older unexploded ordnance dating back to World War II.
“This is a site that has been in use for 150 years, and we know there are potentially old artillery shells there,” he said, adding that bomb disposal experts discover them regularly.
Unfenced but prohibited
The firing range covers 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) and is crisscrossed by roads that are closed during tests but open to the public at other times.
Signs prohibit access to the range itself, but it is not fenced off.
The organizers have urged attendees to refrain from lighting fires, digging or picking up any objects.
The local mayor’s office said residents and partygoers were getting on well.
Around 600 police and 45 firefighters were deployed at the site.
“We’re getting ready for a big get-together tonight,” said Edith Raquin, the mayor of Cornusse, a village of 220 people located less than two kilometers (about one mile) from the site.
“For once there’s something going on, make the most of it!” said Paulette, 64, who lives in the village nearby and declined to give her family name.
