The opening marked the first ever presence of US fast food giant McDonald's on the Île d'Oléron, a small island just off La Rochelle in the Charente-Maritime. The fast food outlet has been vigorously opposed by the local mayor, former Greenpeace activist Grégory Gendre, who had blocked building permits for the restaurant. He said he had safety concerns about access to the site and the risk of flooding. After a five-year legal battle involving both the regional tribunal in Poitiers and the appeal court in Bordeaux, McDonald's was finally granted planning permission. But that may not be the end of the story, as the local town hall has lodged an appeal, particularly over parking and access concerns in the summer, when the population of the island increases fivefold as the holidaymakers arrive.

Source: The Local December 27, 2019 08:48 UTC