A needy but determined mayor has pedaled 750km by bicycle from Nice to Rome to raise funds to renovate the dilapidated twelfth-century church in his village in northern France.
Stéphane Frère made the journey after learning the state – which owns all churches opened before 1905 – would pay 90 per cent of the cost of a new roof and other long overdue renovations for St Martin’s Church in Bonnesvalyn.
Frère has been mayor of the tiny village since 2020 and wants to repair the Romanesque building to hold liturgies and concerts. But with only 216 inhabitants, the village could not afford its €70,000 share of the costs.
So Frère, a fit 48-year old secondary school teacher and long-time cycling fan, set off for by bike for Rome to publicise his budget problems and hopefully raise the needed funds.
He started in Nice, near the Italian border, because pedaling down through France would have taken too long. When a supporter heard about the project, he offered him a bicycle for free.
Frère kept Bonnesvalyn informed through its Facebook page, posting reports of him riding down cobbled roads, visiting pristine beaches and saying grazie to Italians who gave him small bills along the way.
“I ride in the morning and evening because the daytime is too hot,” he said.
Arriving on 20 July, he filmed visits to Roman basilicas and posed with his bike at the Colosseum in a toga and laurel wreath and in front of the Pantheon in cycling togs.
Frère’s journey was followed by local news outlets and he collected €2,500 for his 10 days journey under the hot sun.
He promised to continue his search for the funds. Since he began his journey, several donation pledges from local businesses and individuals have come in.
“This is a big sum for villages like ours that have difficulties. But regardless of the amount collected, the important thing is to promote French heritage,” he said.
“If an artist wants to come and give a free concert in our town, he’s welcome.”
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