The prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine department said on Twitter that police had finally taken control of the site at 10:15 on Saturday morning after the music was switched off and people began leaving.
#raveparty #Lieuron
— Préfet de Bretagne et d'Ille-et-Vilaine (@bretagnegouv) January 2, 2021
A 10h15, ce 2 janvier, le site est sous contrôle des forces de l'ordre.
Plus de 800 verbalisations effectuées.@Interieur_Gouv @Gendarmerie
Some 1,200 people were fined for breaking coronavirus restrictions, including failure to respect the 8pm-6am curfew, not wearing masks and participating in an unauthorised gathering, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
+ de 1200 verbalisations sont mises aux participants de la #raveparty illégale de #Lieuron. Les gendarmes continuent les contrôles et poursuivent les organisateurs.
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) January 2, 2021
Police attempted to break up the party on Thursday, but faced forceful resistance from the partygoers, who set fire to one of their cars.
Such mass gatherings are strictly prohibited across France to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
A Lieuron, la rave party se poursuit pour la 2e soirée consécutive avec plusieurs milliers de personnes sur place.
— Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) January 2, 2021
Les lieux sont ce soir accessible sans le moindre contrôle. #raveparty pic.twitter.com/58s03uDEdj
The prefecture said the first revellers began leaving Saturday morning without further intervention from the police.
"There has been no intervention by security forces," said the prefecture in a statement, adding that police were checking all those leaving the site.
Only "a few hundred" revellers remained, the prefecture said, quoting an association that oversees the security risks of such events.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin tweeted that the large police presence at the site had led to the breakup of the rave "without violence".
About half of the car park at the site was empty Saturday morning, an AFP photographer said.
