Creative Fundraising: How a French Cathedral’s Bell Tower Became a Charcuterie Haven

Mon Oct 20 2025 06:32:08 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A small town’s innovative solution to raise money for restoring its historic organ has sparked controversy over local heritage conservation efforts.

The bell tower of a cathedral in St.-Flour, France, offered a unique way to fund the restoration of its ancient organ by allowing local farmers to cure hams. While initially successful, an inspector’s intervention has highlighted challenges in preserving France’s religious heritage amid budget constraints.

In a remarkable turn of events, a priest in St.-Flour, a quaint town in the heart of France, discovered a unique method to fund the much-needed restoration of his cathedral's aging organ. By converting a bell tower into a ham-curing workshop, local farmers were able to hang their pork legs to dry, creating a thriving business that appealed to charcuterie fans. This unconventional fundraising idea gained approval from a local bishop and flourished for nearly two years.

However, the initiative faced an immediate setback when an inspector from the organization that manages France's architectural heritage noticed the presence of hams in the tower. He cited a grease stain on the floor and categorized the hams as a fire hazard in his December 2023 report. The cathedral’s refusal to comply led to an escalating conflict, eventually reaching the desk of the country’s Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati.

The situation has ignited a debate about the broader implications of the dispute, viewed by many as a glaring example of how bureaucratic red tape can stifle community-driven initiatives aimed at preserving local culture. Many aging churches across France, like the one in St.-Flour, are wrestling with financial burdens associated with maintenance and restoration since church properties were seized and put under state control after the French Revolution.

With the bell tower affair serving as a case study, it raises questions about how to effectively manage and fund the maintenance of France’s extensive religious heritage amidst ongoing financial constraints faced by local municipalities and the central government. As the story unfolds, it serves as a reminder of the importance of striking a balance between preservation and community needs within the historical landscape of France.