Woman (96) leaves million-dollar French hamlet if ‘her grave is cared for’

The woman already died in 2018, but the municipality of Maidières, between the French cities of Metz and Nancy, has now received the money in the account.

“It’s the first time this has happened here, but I hope it won’t be the last,” said Mayor Gérard Boyé. East of France. He qualifies the inheritance of nearly one million euros as “very good news” for the hamlet of around 1,500 inhabitants.

Annual budget of 950,000 euros

“I have no words for this enormous generosity,” says Boyé. “We were stunned when the notary told us how much money was at stake.” The municipality has an annual budget of 950,000 euros, so the inheritance is a huge financial windfall.

The generous donor lived in the community for many years and had no other heirs. “We didn’t know she had that much money,” other villagers said in response to the regional news outlet.

Renovate the town hall

Boyé has all kinds of different plans with the money. The town hall would need a makeover, he wants to enlarge the after-school daycare center and also hopes to isolate the village hall.

The woman’s only condition was that her grave be properly cared for. Boyé promises to do so. In addition, the mayor wants to name a street after her to thank her for the legacy.

Happens more often

It often happens in France that the deceased leave colossal sums in the places where they lived.

For example, La Chaise-Dieu in Auvergne was able to build a nursing home thanks to the 1.5 million euros that the former pharmacist had bequeathed to the village, and the socio-cultural center of Plougonvelin bears the name of a deceased soldier who donated 610,000 euros to the Breton municipality.