Rouez-en-Champagne and his legacy of 38 million euros in the spotlight of TF1. The Great Reports program this Sunday, January 23 at 1:40 p.m., entitled “My village inherits a treasure” focuses on four French towns that have received an important heritage. And clearly, Rouez appears to be the best off. “Never has a municipality inherited so much money all at once“, advances Baptiste Cordier, the director of this long report of 52 minutes.
A counterpart: build 50 housing units for the elderly
The incredible story begins in 2008. At the time, Rouez-en-Champagne (800 inhabitants), near Sillé-le-Guillaume, received the legacy of one of its former inhabitants, Serge Le Grou. The generous donor entrusts the community with the colossal sum of 38 million euros. This fortune takes the form of a significant real estate and land holdings, including buildings in Pairs and land in Sarthe. The condition laid down in the will of the deceased is as follows: that the rents from this inheritance be used to the construction of houses for the needy elderly (who will become tenants). Today, some of these homes have been built: twelve out of the planned fifty.
The legacy of Rouez: an exception in France
“As part of the report, we followed a town in Creuse which inherited a million euros. This sum represents exactly what Rouez-en-Champagne has received each year since 2008 in rents, thanks to this real estate“, notes the journalist author of the investigation for TF1. “It is more than the budget of the municipality“, recalls Baptiste Cordier. If Rouez is an exception, it is not only for the imposing sum received. It is also because of the conditions of use required by the donor. “Often, when people bequeath their heritage to a municipality, they ask for relatively simple compensation, such as putting flowers on the tomb of the legatee. In Rouez, Serge Le Grou has set the bar very high“, says journalist Baptiste Cordier. “But we can say that he has put the means!“, he adds.
One million revenue every year
Undoubtedly, the commune of Rouez-en-Champagne is only at the beginning of its surprises. “We cannot speak of a poisoned gift. But clearly, it is a colossal construction site“, advances the director of report that will be broadcast this Sunday on TF1. “Fourteen years after the legacy, the elected officials are still in the middle of the files and the paperwork“, he observes.
In fact, this heritage gives a lot of work to the municipality which is not sized for this. “Rouez-en-Champagne does not have a legal department or an army of in-house lawyers“, emphasizes Baptiste Cordier. “She had to create a foundation to receive the rents and manage the real estate“, recalls the journalist. “In terms of heritage, it’s like starting mountaineering on the north face of Everest!“, he summarizes. For him, “this story has only just begun!“
► Issue “Grands reports”, Sunday January 23 at 1:40 p.m. on TF1 : “My village inherits a treasure”, with four municipalities in the spotlight, including Rouez-en-Champagne (Sarthe).
– Babel-Doc