“I have trained entire families”: with 51 years of experience, Jacques Gatto is the oldest driving school instructor in Sète

Depuis la fin d’année dernière, Jacques Gatto ne fait plus les leçons de conduite et assure le secrétariat. Midi Libre – KELMAN MARTI

En 2024, Jacques Gatto, moniteur d'auto-écoles depuis 51 ans, veut se rapprocher de la retraite. L’occasion de le rencontrer avant qu’il ne soit trop tard.

If this peninsula is considered unique, it is because of its traditions, its heritage, but also the people who populate it, who are also very unique. Like an atypical, warm and caring character: Jacques Gatto. Some people in Sétois know this name, especially in the front passenger seat of a car. Because “Jacky” (for short), is a driving school instructor. For 51 years! And he has seen stories pass through the evolution of the automobile.

A family story

One of them will always make this man smile, whose face does not betray his 77 years. "I’have formed entire families. I have already been told: 'François Commeinhes gave birth to half of the Sétois and Jacques Gatto gave the license to the other half' !", he laughs, sitting on the chair in the office of the Littoral driving school, 19 rue Jules-Vallès.

"He taught my brothers and sisters, my cousins ​​and even my nephews, indicates Youssef Baddouch, mechanic and former student of Jacques Gatto. He's like an old-fashioned father, giving good advice and knowing how to yell a little when necessary." "It’is my way of teaching… I try to be a teacher, but I'm firm, reacted the instructor who was not predestined to do this job.

At 18, after learning to drive alongside his father, of Neapolitan origin, young Jacques joined the family business. Here he is, a gas station attendant, like his father. Then, after sixteen months in the army, a first marriage and an almost career in music, “Jacky” finally takes the route taken by his uncle.

Music, a story stopped in its tracks

During his childhood, and even before he drove, Jacques Gatto made music, his other passion. À 5 years at the Sète conservatory. In many orchestras à the twenties, whether on the violin or the saxophone. To finally have "an opportunityé in gold to potentially play for Gilbert Bécaud", according to him. "But I got scared before the interview in Paris. And I chickened out, because he didn't have any brass instruments to play. its sides", remembers Jacques Gatto. A few months later, the 25-year-old musician finally saw the star of the time in the company of a saxophonist. television."I’éwas disgusted. Çit could have been me. Afterwards, I sold everything, except my violin, and stopped playing completely. the music. My life could have been totally different…"

180 degree turn

That of driving schools. At 25, already the father of a son, he took on the hat of an instructor, once his diploma was in hand. "I preferred gas station attendant", he comments simply. During his first years, the former union member "argues" in favor of a free license which could better train people and therefore reduce the number of accidents."I love people, so it pisses me off to see people die on the road. That's why my job is important", adds the one who then joined the Ceca, the former “grosse” Sète driving school.

At the same time, he voluntarily joined the Young Economic Chamber of Sète and the Thau Basin (JCESBT). He successively held a position on the tourism commission, before becoming vice-president of the services category, with which he won the 1st international tourism prize thanks to the Cap de la Corniche hotel-residence. "We carried out concrete actions in Sète, favorable for the economy. And all for free. In the end I had national and even international responsibilities. I loved it, sums up this naturally altruistic and humble man.

A vital credo

But after great years at Ceca, Jacques finally finds himself alone and prefers to fold up shop. Headed for a friend's company in 1992, renamed Languedoc driving school for the occasion and located… hellip; 19 rue Jules-Vallès.

When its partner left, the latter changed its name one last time around 2010 and took its final form: the Littoral driving school. During this same period and despite being over 60 years old, Jacques and his last wife, Grazzia, welcomed a daughter. "The love of my life" as he calls her, with tears in his eyes, or "the one that makes me get up every morning". "Like my credo! Two sentences from the JCE with which I would like to conclude: the human person is the most precious of riches and serving humanity constitutes the noblest work of a life."< /em>