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Man Leaves $10 Million To Small Town He's Never Visited

January 17, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Thiberville, France.

In a heartwarming twist of fate, the tiny Normandy town of Thiberville has found itself the unexpected beneficiary of a staggering €10 million inheritance, thanks to a Parisian meteorologist who never once set foot in the commune.

The bequest from Roger Thiberville, who passed away last August at the age of 91, has left the town’s 1,800 residents stunned and overjoyed.

A small town in Europe

Guy Paris, Thiberville’s mayor for nearly three decades, recounted the moment he received the life-changing news.

“It’s an exceptional sum of money. Obviously, the amount is beyond imagination,” he shared during an interview with France Bleu radio.

The unexpected fortune represents five times the town’s annual budget and, as a public entity, Thiberville will not be subject to inheritance tax on the windfall.

Thiberville is located at the red marker above

Who Was Roger Thiberville?

Born in 1932 into a family of winegrowers in Mantes-la-Jolie, 50 kilometers west of Paris, Roger Thiberville inherited his wealth from his parents and later from his sister, who passed away without heirs. Though he lived his entire life in Paris and had no direct connection to Thiberville beyond sharing its name, his final wish was for his ashes to rest in the town’s cemetery, accompanied by a plaque bearing his name.

Plans for the Windfall

The town’s leadership is approaching this extraordinary gift with caution and responsibility.

“We don’t yet know what we will do with it. We won’t spend it all,” Mayor Paris emphasized.

Meetings with regional officials are underway to ensure the funds are utilized wisely to benefit current and future generations.

The town of Thiberville, described by The Guardian as “unremarkable,” is notable only for a defunct ribbon factory and few other distinguishing features.