A millionaire living in the French commune of Tourrettes left his entire fortune to his hometown on the condition that it be used to build a reception centre for the elderly and not-for-profit purposes.
The individual in question, Marcelin Arthur Chaix reportedly took the decision in order to benefit the oldest residents in the historic town in the European country. The facility will reportedly be able to accommodate 10 people and will open before 2026.
However, whilst the move by Marcelin was designed to benefit only a small part of the population of the commune, it has also been praised by locals after his will was read out in the town hall.
In total, Marcelin left behind €2.5million (£2.06m) to the commune of Tourrettes in which he had lived for most of his life.
Following the announcement of the donation in his will to Tourrettes, the town’s mayor Camile Bouge thanked Marcelin – who passed away at the age of 95 – for his generosity, reported BFM.
In a statement, she said: “This facility must not have a profit-making purpose but strictly a social one. We can consider ourselves fortunate for this bequest and express our gratitude to this Tourrettan, without any reserved heirs, by standing and applauding in memory of the late Mr Chaix.”
Although the donation may come as a surprise to some, other residents in Tourrettes said it was fitting of someone who they said “always helped others”. One resident, Marc, said: “It doesn’t surprise me because he was someone who always helped other.”
Another local, Anne, added: “I was a nursing assistant throughout my career; I worked with elderly people for a very long time and finally here is a good idea! The condition is excellent.”
The town which Marcelin called home before his death is situated in the mountainous region inland from the Cote d’Azur in the south of France.
According to France This Way, the town is sometimes mixed up with Tourrettes-sur-Loup, a perched village that sits in Provence in a different part of the region.
