Spa, an emblematic town of Wallonia, is world-renowned for its Thermal Baths, its festivals and its cultural influence. Since October 2024, Nicolas Tefnin, former alderman and president of the Francofolies, has become mayor. A meeting with a mayor leading a town like no other.
At 39, father of two, president of the Francofolies de Spa, former alderman for several years... and now you're mayor. How have your personal, political and professional experiences prepared you for this role?
My different paths, personal, professional and political, have each, in their own way, prepared me for the role of mayor. Being a father taught me to juggle priorities, to listen and to anticipate. Being president of the Francofolies confronted me with the realities of managing large-scale events, coordinating teams, and finding concrete solutions within sometimes very tight deadlines. And finally, my years as an alderman allowed me to get to know the workings of the municipal administration well, the realities on the ground, but above all the expectations of citizens. I have a global vision, but I remain deeply attached to the human dimension, to concrete action, and to dialogue.
Among your portfolio of responsibilities, you notably have municipal finances. Do you think it's important that this responsibility falls to the mayor?
Yes, I think it's a good thing. Managing a town means, above all, managing public resources responsibly. Having control over finances makes it possible to align political priorities with available resources. It's also a way of fully taking ownership of the choices you make as mayor. It helps avoid promises disconnected from budgetary reality. By keeping a firm hand on finances, I can steer the projects that will shape Spa's future with both rigour and ambition.
Spa is known well beyond our borders: its water, its racing circuit in the region, the festivals... This international reach is a major asset for the local economy. Does this tourist appeal have an impact on residents? If so, how do you reconcile the two?
Spa's appeal is an opportunity, but it needs to be turned into a shared asset. Yes, there are impacts: increased traffic, pressure on housing or certain public spaces during certain periods. But it also enables job creation, the survival of many businesses, a rich cultural offering, and a visibility that few towns our size can boast. My role is precisely to maintain that balance: making Spa a lively town, but not an overcrowded one. A welcoming town, but one that remains pleasant to live in for its residents. This requires good urban planning, suitable infrastructure, and above all constant dialogue with citizens and tourism stakeholders.
The town of Spa is about to embark on a major project running until 2028: the Traversée de Spa. How do you intend to carry out this essential work while ensuring the quality of life for Spa residents, maintaining business activity and allowing summer events to take place under the best possible conditions?
It's a challenge, but also an opportunity to reinvent the heart of our town. My priority is clear: no surprises, no improvisation. We need transparent communication, rigorous phased planning, and close consultation with shopkeepers, residents and event organisers. There will be inconveniences, but we must anticipate and limit them. I also want us to seize this period to boost local life: organising activities around the works, supporting local businesses through incentives or targeted marketing. And above all, keeping our major events, such as the Francofolies, adapting them if necessary, but never compromising them.
We all know the Thermal Baths, the Francofolies, or the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the region. But if you had to recommend a lesser-known activity to discover in Spa or the surrounding area, what would it be?
I would recommend a guided walk through the Parc de Sept Heures, taking time to rediscover the old springs, the galleries, the stories that shaped Spa long before the era of the circuit or the festivals. It's a place full of history, but also of calm, showing another side of Spa: that of wellness, heritage and nature. And for those who want to venture a little further, the walks towards the Géronstère or the Vecquée offer a complete change of scenery just a few minutes from the town centre. These are often overlooked gems, but ones that deeply embody the identity of Spa.