Mayor passes politeness law

Once was enough for the mayor of one northern village, who is banning rude people from the mairie

A MAYOR in the Oise (Picardy) has passed a bylaw obliging people to be polite when they visit the mairie.

Mayor of Lhérule Gérard Plée said he has only ever come across one impolite person in the mairie, but “that was enough”.

“If I don’t pass a bylaw I have no way of influencing those kinds of people,” he told RMC.

Now a notice outside the mairie informs visitors of the rule – they must use the usual “phrases of courtesy”, like bonjour, merci and s’il vous plaît or they will “instantly be requested to leave the premises”.

Mr Plée said so far the rule has been accepted in the village with neither criticism nor particular enthusiasm.