Municipality of Gardanne

The municipality of Gardanne, committed to ensuring access to information and online services for all its citizens, chose to integrate ReadSpeaker’s online content reading solution with text-to-speech into its website. Thanks to webReader, residents of Gardanne can now listen to the site’s content in an intuitive and personalized way, fostering true digital inclusion.

We spoke with Mr. Denis Ben Belgacem, Chief of Staff & Director of Communications for the municipality of Gardanne, to learn more about this initiative.

ReadSpeaker: What motivated the Municipality of Gardanne to adopt a text-to-speech solution for its website?

Municipality of Gardanne: Digital accessibility is at the heart of our mission. We want every resident of Gardanne, regardless of their abilities, to easily access the information and services provided by the municipality.

webReader removes communication barriers and promotes inclusion.

It is an invaluable support for people with visual or cognitive disabilities, seniors, and people with dyslexia or reading difficulties. It also helps those whose first language is not French, supporting their integration into the community.

ReadSpeaker: What types of content have you made accessible with text-to-speech?

Municipality of Gardanne: We prioritized the content essential to the daily lives of our residents: municipal news, administrative procedures, practical information, event calendars, and more. The goal is to make the most useful and most sought-after information as accessible as possible.

ReadSpeaker: Why did you choose ReadSpeaker?

Municipality of Gardanne: ReadSpeaker offers a high-performing solution that was easy to integrate into our website. The quality of the synthetic voices—their naturalness and expressiveness—was a decisive factor. webReader also provides personalization features, allowing each user to adapt listening to their own needs.

ReadSpeaker: What feedback have you received from residents?

Municipality of Gardanne: We have received very positive feedback. Citizens appreciate the ease of use and the ability to access information without the effort of reading.

ReadSpeaker: What benefits has the Municipality of Gardanne seen from ReadSpeaker’s text-to-speech?

Municipality of Gardanne: Integrating text-to-speech into our website reinforces our commitment to accessibility and digital inclusion. It improves the quality of public service by making it more inclusive for all Gardanne residents. This is an important step toward a more connected and supportive community.