When a small French coastal town is plunged into chaos, the world discovers what happens when political power and supernatural forces collide.
The local mayor Gilles d’Ettore wants to spiritually connect with his late father, so he seeks the help of professional mystic Sophia Martinez. However, the psychic sessions soon spiral out of control, with anonymous phone calls from heaven leading to an abuse of power that shatters the facade of small town serenity. Has Gilles been bewitched by Sophia?
With their entanglement the talk of the town, locals start questioning if Gilles is using his position to favour the mystic, or is he simply a generous leader? Is Sophia preying on a vulnerable man, or are her actions helping Gilles fulfil his need to believe?
Presenter Anna Richardson and journalist Leo Schick unravel this story from the very beginning, investigating how our past can shape our actions, and vulnerability can be both a strength and a weakness. They explore how the actions of Gilles and Sophia propelled a sleepy tourist trap onto the front pages of newspapers all over the world.
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When a small French coastal town is plunged into chaos, the world discovers what happens when political power and supernatural forces collide.
The local mayor Gilles d’Ettore wants to spiritually connect with his late father, so he seeks the help of professional mystic Sophia Martinez. However, the psychic sessions soon spiral out of control, with anonymous phone calls from heaven leading to an abuse of power that shatters the facade of small town serenity. Has Gilles been bewitched by Sophia?
With their entanglement the talk of the town, locals start questioning if Gilles is using his position to favour the mystic, or is he simply a generous leader? Is Sophia preying on a vulnerable man, or are her actions helping Gilles fulfil his need to believe?
Presenter Anna Richardson and journalist Leo Schick unravel this story from the very beginning, investigating how our past can shape our actions, and vulnerability can be both a strength and a weakness. They explore how the actions of Gilles and Sophia propelled a sleepy tourist trap onto the front pages of newspapers all over the world.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gilles d’Ettore has held his position as mayor of Agde for over two decades, but does he have too much power? There are allegations he has been pressuring local businesses for favours, so has the line between generosity and corruption become blurred? And how involved was Sophia in the decisions Gilles was making?
You can binge all episodes of The Mystic and The Mayor exclusively and ad-free, right now on Wondery+. Start your free trial in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or by visiting Wondery.fm/Mystic
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.