Matt
When a woman married a wealthy 25 years older man, she became the talk of the town and the subject of countless speculations. But it wasn’t until her husband’s death that she realized she had lost more than a life partner.
While money is undoubtedly necessary to afford a luxurious life, it does not always guarantee happiness. Some of the most precious moments we experience have little or nothing to do with money.
Sometimes disagreements over money can lead to family feuds, alienating loved ones and causing sadness and heartache. A millionaire had a similar experience when he decided to live a life that didn’t depend on his money. But not everyone thought the same of his wife.
SHE MADE HIM AN OFFER
The prime location of Amphoux’s property means it is worth millions – a fact Devillard is well aware of when she meets him and expresses a strong desire to buy his land. If turned into cabins, the cabins could fetch a huge fortune.
Although the toothless hermit owns a large amount of land, he never cared about their financial potential. Even the people who lived there paid low rent. Thus, to Devillard’s chagrin, Amphoux refuses to sell the land.
AN UNEXPECTED UNION
But the seductive Parisian is determined to change things, and she offers him a date. Surprisingly, the eccentric bachelor, who travels by bicycle and pretends to converse with extraterrestrials, is overwhelmed by her beauty.
After a brief courtship, surprising news shocks the whole village: the unexpected wedding. Although Devillard assured everyone that she loved Amphoux with all her heart, none of her statements were convincing enough for the villagers.
On a cool, sunny day in September 2011, Amphoux, 67, and Devillard, 42, became husband and wife and sealed their union in the municipal hall of Puy-Saint-Pierre, which had only 500 inhabitants and was surrounded by snow-capped peaks.
#HautesAlpes : la bataille de la veuve de Marcel Amphoux pour un héritage contesté https://t.co/1I38SSZbdm #Faitsdivers #Justice pic.twitter.com/rQfV61SLW0
— La Provence (@laprovence) November 21, 2017
THE REACTION OF THE VILLAGERS
However, the people of the Alpine Village booed and heckled throughout the wedding ceremony. Their hostility is aimed directly at Devillard, who had no connection to this close-knit town. Jacques, one of the inhabitants of the village, says :
“People were booing and laughing. They all knew Marcel well and considered that Sandrine only wanted his property and his money”.
A LOVE DECLARATION
Many suspect the blonde realtor of manipulating the disheveled landlord and only hoping on his fortune. The couple’s honeymoon was planned in Paris, but Amphoux reportedly returned home alone after complaining that he hated the city.
The newlyweds stayed in touch, but their marriage remained contentious. However, Devillard has concocted a perfect plan to prove his love to Amphoux and silence the speculators.
In April 2012, she released a clip in which she performed a song called “L’appel du soleil”. We see Devillard frolicking in the alpine meadows, like a blonde Julie Andrews in her sparkling white dress.
THE ACCIDENT
In November 2012, Amphoux faced a tragic road accident where his car rolled down a ravine in thick fog, and he died from his injuries. The driver and another passenger, both friends of Devillard, survived.
THE WILL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Under French law, Devillard was thought to be entitled to her husband’s large fortune. But that all changed when Amphoux’s last will appeared in 2016, written on the back of an envelope.
He had made it clear in his will that he wanted his money to pass to a cousin and the cabins to be passed on to the current tenants. It seems that the wealthy hermit was not naive at all, since he did not leave a penny for his young and beautiful wife.
Devillard, furious, would have disputed the authenticity of the will and affirmed that it was not written by Amphoux’s hand. She also claims to be the victim of a breach of trust, an attempt at extortion and a forgery on the part of the new heirs.
But prosecutor Raphaël Balland said handwriting experts confirmed Amphoux wrote the will. Devillard’s allegations were therefore dismissed.
