Mayor Pizot, a friend and a partner
Like many in his time and place, Mayor Pizot had left school early but retained, throughout his life, a vast curiosity for the world around him that led him to understand the importance of science exploration in general and of fusion research in particular.
And serve he did: an industrial park was created at the village entrance to accommodate ITER contractors, along with a small commercial centre in the heart of the village with shops and restaurants to cater to their employees.
When ITER moved to its permanent headquarters in 2012, he initiated a tradition that his successor at the town hall in Saint-Paul has perpetuated: the gift of a large Christmas tree ever year symbolizing the strong, family-like relationship between ITER and the local community.
The passing of Mayor Pizot at age 76 fills ITER with sadness. He will be remembered as a generous, efficient and no-nonsense associate to the project.