Frenchman finds €700,000 worth of gold while digging pool in backyard

A homeowner in Neuville-sur-Saône, near Lyon in France, unearthed a fortune buried in his garden while preparing to install a swimming pool. The discovery, made during excavation work in May 2025, included 5 gold bars and hundreds of gold coins packed inside plastic bags.

The treasure was valued at approximately €700,000, turning an ordinary home improvement project into an extraordinary find. Although authorities confirmed that the gold could legally remain with the homeowner, the circumstances behind its burial have continued to raise questions, particularly because the property's previous owner had died.French homeowner discovered €700,000 worth of gold treasure in backyardAccording to French regional newspaper Le Progrès, the discovery happened at a property in Neuville-sur-Saône, a town located near Lyon.

The homeowner had purchased the house approximately a year earlier and decided to undertake construction work to install a swimming pool in the garden.During the excavation, workers discovered several plastic bags buried in the ground.