Some stories sound so improbable that even die-hard optimists frown in thought. This is exactly the scene currently unfolding in the small Mediterranean port town of Cassis in France. It is usually a place of sailing boats swaying, tourists tasting anisette, and the picturesque Calanques under the sun, but now all attention has suddenly shifted to millions of euros.
To be exact, nearly 49 million euros.
The center of the event is an unassuming tobacco shop named “La Civette du Port,” with typical southern French charm. It is much like other stores—selling cigarettes, magazines, lottery tickets, and brief chats at the counter. Yet in just one week, this place has become a pilgrimage site for those seeking good fortune.
On April 21, this shop first cashed in a EuroMillions ticket, awarding a French winner a share of over 48 million euros. Just this alone would usually be enough to make headlines across France. After all, EuroMillions is one of the hardest lotteries to win in Europe. The probability of hitting the jackpot is extremely low, almost as unlikely as snow suddenly falling in Marseille in the middle of summer.
Then, the miracle happened again.
Only a few days later, the French national lottery company announced again that a ticket sold at this shop had won a million-euro prize. This time “only” 1 million euros—won through the additional game “My Million” which is automatically linked to every EuroMillions ticket. A local couple was completely unprepared for this shower of wealth.
A particularly special coincidence is that the female winner had previously dreamed several times of winning the lottery. At first, her friends laughed about it. But she then began buying lottery tickets regularly, not out of obsession but with a “why not?” mindset. Ultimately, the prize amount was not won by numbers she chose herself, but by an automatically generated code from the additional game.
Life is sometimes just like that.
Now almost everyone in Cassis is talking about this matter. Crowds often gather in front of the little shop. Tourists take photos at the entrance, and locals have suddenly started regularly buying lottery tickets after many years without buying a single one. This place lives by stories—fishermen’s tall tales, harbor gossip, summer romances. But now this event has surpassed all legends.
The shop owner is experiencing unprecedented busyness. From the tobacco racks to the postcard section, there has been a steady flow of people for days. Customers enter with awe, as if the good luck still clings to the walls.
The French love such stories.
Especially during times of economic uncertainty, lottery millionaires have an almost fairy-tale charm. The everyday lives of ordinary people can change completely in an instant—this touches many. Perhaps because it carries a quiet hope: life sometimes truly opens doors to surprises.
Cassis provides the perfect backdrop for this. This small seaside town is already an ideal vacation spot between Provence and the Mediterranean. Narrow alleys, colorful facades, waterfront cafés—it’s almost unreal in beauty. Now it also has the reputation of being a “lucky harbor.”
Whether the miracle in Cassis can continue, no one naturally knows. Statistically it may not be supported. But once someone wins a huge jackpot, statistics become meaningless to people.
This little tobacco shop has been elevated to a cultural landmark.
Or, as many French people say, it is the famous “bureau de tabac porte-bonheur”—the lucky tobacco shop.
Author: C. Hatty