Château de Canon (Calvados)

It was in the heart of the Auge Valley in Normandy that Jean-Baptiste Elie de Beaumont, a lawyer and close friend of Voltaire, decided to establish the Canon estate in the 18th century.

Since then, the Italian-style château has remained in the hands of the same family, who are committed to opening the estate’s doors to some 25,000 visitors a year to explore the building and its splendid park, which has been awarded the “jardin remarquable” label.

Garden design is at the heart of the estate’s life, with remarkable floral arrangements, groves and strange structures that seem to belong to another era, such as Chinese kiosks and Greco-Roman temples. This garden, preserved in its original 18th-century state, blends French and Italian styles, creating a unique journey for visitors as they pass through enfilades of colorful gardens like open-air greenhouses.

The restoration project focuses on the red Chinese kiosk, the garden’s centerpiece which dates to 1871 and has been badly damaged by time and moisture.

Restoration of one of the emblematic features of the Canon park: the Chinese pavilion.

$15,000

FHS New York Chapter

2024