This mayor of the Grasse hinterland will not be seeking a sixth term in next year's municipal elections, and he explains why.

He is one of the longest-serving mayors in the Alpes-Maritimes. Elected mayor of Caille in 1995, Yves Funel has never stopped going the extra mile for his community. While he admits that his last term wasn't the most prolific in terms of projects due to health concerns, the mayor is pleased with the good spirit that reigns in the village, particularly on the municipal council. The attractiveness of the community, the lack of snow, the development of solar energy, and the village's economy—he provides an overview of this community of just over 400 inhabitants.

You've been mayor for 30 years. What motivated you to continue?

When you're mayor, you either quickly get fed up with all the work to do. Or you get down to it, and you're committed to continuing. That's what happened. I initially ran in 1995 because the previous mayor wanted to install a transformer in the schoolyard. My brother, who lived across the street, rebelled. So we put together a list against the mayor. And that was it.

Would you like to run for a fifth term?

No, it won't. It will be 31 years... That's a long time. And then, I have some minor health issues that mean that sometimes I'm off the mark.

Do you feel tired after your four terms in office?

Not really. Being mayor isn't something that kills us. If we do it, we do it with pleasure.

What is your assessment of the 30 years?

We've done some nice things. We wanted to keep Caille attractive for its businesses. We have a butcher's shop that's become a grocery store, a stonemason, a weaver... And then, people say that Caille is a friendly village, one that they like.

How is the economy doing?

The village operates on a budget of 729,000 euros. It's not huge, but we're getting by.

You have some rentals in particular that bring in...

The management of the Via Souterrata, the treetop adventure park, the zip line waterfall, and the snack bar bring in nearly 40,000 euros a year. That's not insignificant!

What about the house on the side of the road, empty for years?

We sold it! The owner, a Slovak, bought it for 70,000 euros. But there's a lot of work to be done inside. For the village, the amount is attractive.

What is Caille's place in the CAPG?

It's a village like any other. With the same voting power. We are satisfied with our relationship with the urban area. It helps us, for example, with the school daycare: we run it in the morning and the CAPG runs it in the evening.

Is the village well served by public transport?

If there were more facilities, perhaps, I say perhaps – because it's not an obligation – there would be more users. But we are lucky to be on the direct line to Saint-Auban.

The Moulière chairlift is an important subject...

Initially, it was built by a private individual. Then, it was transferred to an inter-municipal authority. But the problem was that it cost us a lot of money. After negotiations, it became part of the Monts d'Azur Community of Communes. We've been rid of it for a few years now!

Is the lack of snow a problem for the municipality?

It has an impact on the economy, yes. We had an association, Les Ours Bruns, which, every year, groomed the trails on the plain and rented cross-country skis. So, in winter, there were always people there. Little by little, it snowed less, until we had almost none left. The association decided to stop its activity this year.

In 5 years, the Winter Olympics are to be held in the Alps...

Apparently, in Allos, there are places where you could still ski... But it's true that we have questions.

Does solar have a place in Caille?

Caille is a small town. Our plain is protected. There aren't any large areas that could be dedicated to solar energy. In any case, the entire plain and the village are listed in the Bâtiments de France (Buildings of France). But they're starting to allow panels on the roofs of private homes.

Would you like to install them on municipal buildings?

We will see the results of these installations over time to see if it is profitable.

His 3 priorities

Set up municipal buildings

Some buildings, such as the post office and the inn, deserve to be renovated and rented out. It would be good if this were a priority for the new council.

Keeping youth in the village

We have quite a few houses that are closed. They're not necessarily second homes, but the children of their parents, who have either left or died, haven't come back to live in the village. It's a shame.

Keeping Quail Attractive

Let's keep this "a little more than the others" side. This family, friend, natural side.