Some stories are so hard to believe that even the most enthusiastic optimists furrow their brows for a moment. Just such a story is happening right now in the small port town of Cassis on the French Mediterranean coast. Usually a place where yachts bob and tourists sip pastis under the sunny skies amid the beautiful calanques, suddenly all attention is focused on millions of euros.
More precisely, it’s about nearly 49 million euros.
At the center of the story stands an ordinary tobacco shop with a typically southern French name, “La Civette du Port.” In reality, it is no different from other shops selling cigarettes, magazines, lottery tickets, and where short conversations take place at the counter. But in just one week, this shop has transformed into a kind of shrine for those seeking luck.
On April 21, a French winner who held a EuroMillions ticket with a prize of over 48 million euros was confirmed for the first time at this location. This alone is enough to cause a big stir throughout France. The EuroMillions jackpot is known as one of the most difficult lotteries in Europe to win. The odds of hitting the first prize are astronomical, as unlikely as a sudden snowstorm in midsummer in Marseille.
And a few days later, another miracle happened.
Just a few days later, Française des Jeux announced another million-euro win at the same shop. This time, 1 million euros was won through the automatic code assigned by the supplementary game “My Million.” An unexpected financial stroke of luck arrived for a local couple.
What is particularly interesting is that the winner had dreamed several times about winning the lottery. At first, friends laughed it off, and she herself thereafter bought lottery tickets regularly—not to the extent of becoming a fan but with a “Why not give it a try?” attitude. Ultimately, the win was decided not by the numbers she chose herself, but by an automatically generated code for the supplementary game.
Life sometimes shows such unexpected developments.
In Cassis, almost everyone now shares this story. People always gather in front of the small shop, and tourists take photos of the entrance. Local residents report that those who hadn’t purchased a single lottery ticket in years have suddenly started buying them frequently. This village lives on stories—the fishermen’s tall tales, the port’s rumors, summer romances, and now this story tops them all.
The shop owner is experiencing a special situation. Busy activity has continued for days between the tobacco shelves and the postcards. Some customers enter the shop with reverence as if luck is even stuck to the walls.
French people love stories like this.
Especially in times of great economic uncertainty, lottery millionaires almost take on a fairy-tale role. The image of ordinary people having their lives completely changed in just seconds moves many hearts. Perhaps because hidden within it is a quiet hope: the belief that sometimes surprising doors open in life.
And Cassis provides the perfect backdrop for this. This small coastal town is already known as a coveted place between Provence and the Mediterranean. Narrow alleys, colorful facades, waterfront cafes—a place almost unbelievably beautiful. Now it also has the nickname “the lucky harbor.”
No one knows if the miracle of Cassis will continue. Statistically, the chance is rather slim. But when someone wins millions, statistics mean nothing.
The small tobacco shop at the harbor has already gained a cult reputation.
The French now commonly call it “bureau de tabac porte-bonheur” — the lucky tobacco shop.
Written by: C. Hatty