Property owner Simon Vignaux and bar manager Michaël Darmouni have engaged in a legal dispute over unpaid rent at Le Coin Bar in Ariège.
The commercial establishment, located at the bottom of Rue Victor-Hugo and formerly known as the Saint-Clair, has been temporarily closed since June as the conflict escalated. Vignaux, a property investor based in Bordeaux, stated that Darmouni had failed to pay rent since July 2025 and that a judicial procedure was already underway.
Vignaux said that stress was increasing, a strong feeling of injustice was setting in, and he was disgusted by the situation. He estimated his financial losses at 12,000 euros or more while continuing to pay property tax on the building, and expressed strong regret that Darmouni had not responded to an attempted mediation.
The landlord also claimed that Darmouni appeared to have vanished after a commissaire de justice sent to his residence found an empty apartment. In France, a commissaire de justice is an official legal enforcement officer responsible for serving judicial documents and enforcing court orders.
Tenant claims and building compliance issues
Darmouni denied that he had disappeared, stating that he still lived at the same address, remained in the town, and intended to stay. He admitted withholding rent payments but stated it was his only means of applying pressure on the landlord to carry out essential repairs.
According to Darmouni, operating the business had become impossible due to extensive building non-compliance issues. He cited an inspection report dated January from Apave, a French organisation that inspects technical and industrial installations, to support his claims.
Darmouni stated that the kitchen could not be used because of a ceiling that was too low, while the second-floor apartment was condemned because it lacked access independent from the bar-restaurant. He also asserted that two of the building's three water heaters were out of order.
Furthermore, Darmouni claimed the landlord was required to merge electrical meters to bring basement and ground-floor networks up to code with the upper floors, and to install a security door on an entrance facing Rue Victor-Hugo.
Legal action and reopening plans
Vignaux rejected the tenant's allegations regarding the property's condition. He noted that the former manager had operated the venue for years without any problems or complaints, adding that Darmouni did not have the authority to unilaterally declare the building unusable.
Darmouni said he no longer expected the owner to complete the full scope of repairs and announced plans to initiate legal action to revise the commercial lease. He argued that the lease should reflect actual usable space so that rent is charged only for the ground-floor bar area.
Despite the legal dispute, Darmouni said he was preparing to reopen the venue as early as next month. He stated that he had located a new operating licence in the neighbouring department of Aude and had already received the required authorization from the local municipality.
