'I inherited hundreds of thousands of pounds - what I did next stunned everyone'

Raymond Landy donated €1m euros to save his local church (Image: @SirenesFR/X)

A French pensioner who came into €1m left onlookers speechless when he revealed his intentions for the windfall. Raymond Landy, 91, received the inheritance, equivalent to around £750k, following his brother's passing in 2022.

Yet instead of pocketing the fortune himself, he astonished residents of his village, La Chapelle-sur-Aveyron, France, and fellow inhabitants at his care home when he chose to donate it to his hometown's church.

His hometown lies in the Loiret region directly south of Paris, an area where Raymond and his brother had worked side by side on their family's farm and contributed to the agricultural sector more broadly.

Raymond's generous contribution ensures the church in his hometown can undergo restoration and be spared from possible demolition. The village housing the church has a population of slightly more than 600 people.

In recognition of his gift, a commemorative plaque was installed at the church last month to serve as a lasting reminder to urrent and future generations of one individual's extraordinary act of kindness, reports the Mirror.

La Chapelle-sur-Aveyron (Image: Wiki Commons)

Explaining the reasoning behind his choice, Raymond highlighted the profound significance the area held throughout his life. He told Franceinfo: "I was born here, baptised here, had my first communion here. I've always lived in La Chapelle."

The church's importance was reinforced by the village's mayor, Christian Chevalier, who remarked: "We are a tiny village of 640 inhabitants, so our church is our only asset. It is not listed, but it is the heart of the village, and everyone cares about it."

After Raymond’s donation, the architect commissioned to carry out the restoration, Antoine Leriche, told the public they would endeavour to ensure the restoration progressed as far as possible using Raymond's contribution.

The restoration will take place in several stages, including lifting the bell tower from the church and placing it on the ground so its slates can be replaced. Following this, the choir will undergo restoration alongside a complete removal of the roof and restoration of its framework.

Furthermore, the timeline for completing the restoration is expected to be about a year, with the majority of the work scheduled between spring and autumn 2026.

Discussing the project's magnitude, Antoine highlighted the significance of the funding. He said: "In general, when I work on a building, it takes 20 years in four, five or six stages, while the local authorities rebuild their funding. Here, it's all in one go, which is a first for me."

With initial work having commenced last month, the village mayor believes Raymond's donation and the church's restoration will ensure the structure remains sound "for another 150 years" before any additional maintenance becomes necessary.