France

Passed down through the same family for more than six centuries, the Domaine de Chéronne features a late 15th-century gatehouse that stands as testimony to the estate’s role in the agriculture of the region.

Site History

The Domaine de Chéronne has never been sold; for the entirety of its history, it has been handed down through the same family. In the 14th century, a wooden seignorial building stood on the site. Today, no trace of that building remains. The estate’s oldest existing building is the gatehouse, which was constructed around 1490 by the prominent local dignitary Hervé de Chahanay and is listed as a historic monument. 

In the 18th–19th centuries, the ground floor of the gatehouse was occupied by the head farmer of the estate, and the rest of the building was used to store agricultural equipment and tools. The gatehouse is a testimonial to Chéronne’s role over the centuries as a functioning agricultural estate in the heart of a traditionally agricultural region.

About the Project

The project will restore the late 15th-century gatehouse back to its early Renaissance aspect, including complete restoration of the walls, floors, ceilings, ironwork, masonry and decorative elements, using traditional techniques in accordance with ancient knowledge.

Domaine de Chéronne Today

Today, the Domaine de Chéronne welcomes the public for weddings, seminars, wellness courses, concerts and cultural events, in addition to guided tours and gîte rentals. All income generated through events, as well as through agricultural and forestry activities, is used to preserve, restore and develop the heritage of the site. 

The National Archives heritage complex comprises former residences of the ancien régime, including the Hôtel de Rohan, which has been undergoing restoration since 2011.

Site History

The French National Archives has been located since 1808 at the Hôtel de Soubise, a former princely palace renowned for its rococo-style decor. The Hôtel de Soubise was the starting point for the institution’s expansion in the heart of the Marais to form the quadrilatère des Archives nationales. This unique heritage complex is made up primarily of residences from the ancien régime acquired gradually to meet the needs of the state: the Hôtel d’Assy, acquired in 1842; the Hôtel de Fontenay, in 1949; the Hôtel de Jaucourt, in 1962; and the Hôtel de Rohan, the former palace of the Cardinals of Rohan, built in the 18th century and assigned to the National Archives in 1928, after having been used for 120 years by the national printing office.

About the Project

Since 2011, the Ministry of Culture and the National Archives have been engaged in an ambitious project to rehabilitate the Hôtel de Rohan, ultimately allowing the return to the public of exceptional interior decorations from the Louis XV period. The building’s sumptuous salons, which have been closed for 20 years, will soon be fully restored in order to welcome the public. The FHS-funded restoration concerns the Cabinet des Singes, which features panels painted by Christophe Huet (1700–1759), who was famous for his monkey paintings, known as singeries.

The Archives Nationales Today

The French National Archives houses one of the world’s largest and oldest archival collections. It operates from two sites in the Paris area: the historic quadrilatère in the Marais and the newer site in the suburb of Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, which opened in 2013. The Musée des Archives nationales, located in the Hôtel de Soubise, displays a rotating selection of documents from the Archives.

An ancient stronghold dating back to the 13th century, the Château du Breuil Yvain occupied a key defensive position and was further fortified during the Hundred Years’ War.

Site History

This ancient fortified domain in the lower Berry region dates from the 13th century. Located at the border of the Duchy of Aquitaine, it held an important defensive position along the Creuse river. During the Hundred Years’ War, the King encouraged further fortifications. Constructed in 1450, the chatelet, or fortified gatehouse, dates from this period. A 15th-century postern was subsequently added. Much of the medieval château was destroyed by a fire in the early 18th century, after which a new, more comfortable wing was built in the style of the day, with a classical elegance and grand mansard-style roof.

The current owners are the 20th generation of the same family to own the château. They are overseeing its restoration in order to pass this legacy on to their children and grandchildren.

About the Project

The project concerns the chatelet, built in 1450. Structural problems threaten its strength and durability, necessitating complete restoration of the masonry and rotten or weakened parts of the wooden frame. A testimony to the château’s ancient history, the chatelet stands as an imposing medieval structure beside the more recent 18th-century main building and 15th-century postern.

Château du Breuil Yvain Today

The Château du Breuil Yvain was designated a historic monument in 2021. Its beautifully preserved rooms offer visitors a chance to immerse themselves in history. The château was the backdrop for the 1972 movie Mauprat, and it has hosted performances of the Théâtre au Château association. It is expected to reopen in 2026, following completion of a major restoration.  

Built on land that has been in the same family since the Middle Ages, the Château de Magnas combines eclectic architectural styles with a constant concern for harmony.

Site History

The Château de Magnas dates from the 16th century, though extensive alterations were made in the 19th century. On a large vaulted cellar stands a building pierced with a semicircular door and a window with crosspiece and mullion, flanked by a circular tower that overlooks the formerly French-style gardens. The current château borders a square courtyard, flanked by two square towers, with a chapel to the south. A porch located between the chapel and the stables makes it possible to circumvent the château. The western section, on the garden side, was remodeled or built by Hector de Galard at the end of the 19th century. It is bordered by a terrace overlooking the valley below. The first outbuildings, constructed at the end of the 16th century, were restored by the renowned architect Clément Parent at the end of the 19th century. The orangery was built in 1840. 

Today, the imprint of the 19th-century architecture is inseparable from the identity of this property, which has been in the same family since the 15th century and saw Henri IV ride up its alley of oaks. Gustave de Galard (1779–1841), a celebrated regionalist painter, grew up there.

About the Project

The project includes the urgently needed restoration of the roof and wooden support frames of the central body of the château. Additional work is required on the east round tower and pinion, and to consolidate major support beams in the outbuildings.

Château de Magnas Today

The owner has undertaken three projects to increase public access to the site. The first is to become a full member of the European Route of d’Artagnan, a certified Council of Europe Cultural Route, and register as a hosting site in the region. The second is to welcome families for “Musketeer Escapades,” unique country parties around the theme of d’Artagnan. Third, the château will offer company employees a break from their daily lives by organizing special activities that allow them to reconnect with themselves, with nature and with others.

Built with local materials in the 17th century, the Château de la Faucille looks onto terraced gardens descending toward the Oudon river. 

Site History

Located at the crossroads of Brittany, Mayenne and Anjou, the Château de la Faucille is built on the remains of an old fortified château. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1972. The château was built in the 17th century using local red schist and tuffeau. It includes various outbuildings, a grotto and a chapel, where the abjuration of Pierre de la Faucille took place in 1686. To the south, terraced gardens descend toward the Oudon river. The upper terrace includes a large vegetable garden and an orangery. The château has been in the hands of the Boberil family since the 1950s.

About the Project

The restoration project concerns the early 18th-century roof, lanterns and cornices. The owner views the restoration as a means to keep alive building traditions and artisanal skills. He highlights the work of the skilled craftspeople involved at every stage, including stonemasons, carpenters and roofers, who contribute to the transmission of know-how through apprenticeships on-site. This passing down of knowledge is in keeping with the traditions of their predecessors from the 17th and 18th centuries, whose craftsmanship can still be seen in the quality of the stonework and woodwork. 

Château de la Faucille Today

The château receives visitors from June to October and offers a number of cultural activities. As part of the restoration, craftspeople come to train on-site. One carpenter told the owner that he enjoyed going to this site because he had the impression, coming to La Faucille every morning, of arriving at a “little paradise, a bit out of time.”

The hermitage of the writer Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac, this 17th-century château also hosted Marie de Médicis following her escape from exile.

Site History

Located in the town of Balzac and built on the banks of the Charente, this 17th-century château and its park recall the memory of Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac (1597–1654), the famous Charente writer who made it his hermitage. Marie de Médicis, mother of Louis XIII, stayed for six months at the Château de Balzac. Locked up in the Château de Blois by order of the King, she escaped with the help of the Duke of Épernon, godfather of Jean-Louis Guez. He welcomed her to his château, where she stayed from March 4 to August 29, 1619. The current owners rescued the château from ruin and have been restoring it over the past 50 years.

About the Project

The project includes the urgent restoration of the north and east façades of the château, as well as the stables and the north tower. The family has been restoring the château for half a century, and they require aid in order to continue to undertake the necessary restorations to preserve the estate.

Château de Balzac Today

The château welcomes visitors to discover its painted decorations from the 17th century, which have regained their splendor since their restoration in June 2022. It is open to the public from July to August, and the owners offer a daily guided tour of the interior. Highlights of the tour include a large vaulted room with unique acoustics from the 12th–13th century, a 17th-century living room renovated with curved woodwork in the 18th century and 17th-century frescoes. Other notable features of the estate include a paved courtyard, a well, a 17th-century wrought-iron entrance gate, 18th-century colonnades, a 17th-century Charente porch and a Romanesque church from the 12th–13th century.

Rescued from a state of ruin in the 1980s, the Château de Fontariol is an authentic example of a Bourbonnais knight’s château from the Middle Ages.

Site History

Fontariol is a small Bourbonnais knight’s château from the end of the Middle Ages. Modest and rustic, it was likely built between 1450 and 1550. The transformations it underwent in the 18th century were minor, unlike most houses of this style and period. Together with the 18th-century agricultural buildings that surround it, it forms an entirely enclosed ensemble representative of a small Bourbon stronghold. 

Different noble families inhabited the château before the Revolution. Part of the manor was transformed at the end of the 18th century under the ownership of Marguerite de Louan, who, in 1775, left Fontariol to her cousin Charles de Biotieres de Chassincourt, Marquis de Tilly and Brigadier General of the Armies of the King under Louis XVI. In the 19th century, the château became a farm, jointly owned by the Boucomont and Meilheurat families. These two families kept Fontariol as a farm until the end of the 1960s. The estate was in a state of peril by 1987, when it was purchased, saving it from ruin.

About the Project

The restoration project concerns the 15th-century wing of the manor house, including masonry, carpentry, the wooden frame and the roof. This will make the wing accessible, in keeping with the continual restoration of all parts of this former agricultural domain.

Château de Fontariol Today

This now-preserved rural estate hosts cultural activities such as concerts, theater productions and an open-air cinema in the lower courtyard. A cultural association was created in 2018 to further develop these activities. Future plans to promote local tourism include renting out the stateroom and stables for events, opening a bed and breakfast and rural inn, and organizing bike tours of the region.

One of the iconic monuments of Paris, the Grand Palais serves as a major cultural venue, hosting prominent events in the heart of the city.

Site History

Built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, the Grand Palais has become one of Paris’s iconic monuments. The whole building was constructed utilizing stone, steel and glass; the framework required 8,500 tons of steel—more than the amount used to build the Eiffel Tower. The Grand Palais was one of the first buildings to utilize steel over such a large area, and it ushered in the modern era of innovative construction materials and techniques. The architects selected 40 contemporary artists to produce statues, ceramic and mosaic friezes, and ornaments and other final embellishments, including gilded and bronze works.

In March 2021, after a hectic century of activity, the Grand Palais closed its doors to undergo its most extensive restoration ever. The work will continue until the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, when the nave and surrounding galleries will host the fencing and taekwondo competitions. Further work will continue through 2025, in particular for the Palais de la découverte.

About the Project

The gilding of the rotunda of the Palais de la découverte and certain decorative elements of the Salon d’Honneur of the nave will be restored with gold leaf to regain their former majesty. In the rotunda, this includes the pillars featuring allegorical sculptures, the bronze railings of the balconies, and the gilded trophies repeating motifs of flowers and plants. In the nave, the gold leaf restoration will address elements of the railing of the staircase of the Salon d’Honneur and the letters “RF” (République Française).

A masterpiece of metallurgy, the Grand Palais is also an architecture of light and radiance. The Grand Palais restoration campaign is an opportunity to rediscover gilding and bronzes that have been damaged by the passage of time. Leveraging the know-how and skills of prestigious restoration workshops, this project aims to restore radiance to this emblematic monument. It will serve to highlight the artistry and innovation of France’s finest artisans, much as it did when the palace was first inaugurated for the 1900 World’s Fair.

The Grand Palais Today

The current restoration project is a showcase for skilled artisans and the continuation of traditional craftsmanship, also known as patrimoine vivant, or living heritage, transmitted from one generation to the next. Once fully restored, the complex will regain a clarity of layout and purpose. A major cultural venue for prominent national and international events in the heart of Paris, the Grand Palais will continue to host some of the most prestigious events in the capital, from major exhibitions and sporting events to craft fairs and more.

The Château de Prye is distinguished by its majestic park and sumptuous stables featuring marble-paneled stalls. 

Site History

The Château de Prye is an impressive residence dating back to the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, it was owned by the Queen of Poland. Situated within an extensive estate classified as a historic monument, the château is encompassed by seven kilometers of protective walls. The existing park, designed by Édouard André and Henri Duchêne, boasts a history of 150 years. Notably, the château’s stables feature unique marble paneling, making them one of a kind in France. 

The stables of the Château de Prye were constructed in 1887 for Antonin du Bourg de Bozas, a former equerry of Napoleon III and a renowned supporter of the equestrian arts. The main stable building comprises three wings interconnected by a central pavilion, which has an imperial-style dome inspired by the baptismal gate of the Fontainebleau Castle. The layout of the structure revolves around a spacious hall, designed to accommodate horse-drawn carriages. The building includes a luxurious gallery adorned with nine marble-paneled stalls and an indoor riding arena. 

About the Project

Since acquiring the property in 1990, the current owners have implemented several projects to enhance the value of the stables. The existing structures of the dome are concerning: the poplar planks have warped, posing a threat to the Philibert Delorme framework. The bell tower has sagged due to imbalance, and metal sheets have been installed as a temporary covering for the riding arena, replacing the slate roofing, in order to preserve the building. The annex no longer has a roof or framework; only the walls remain, and the joinery is practically nonexistent.

The restoration work aims to restore the stable building by addressing the roofing and framework of the central section, dome, riding arena and annex stables, including masonry repairs to the southern façade. It encompasses restoration of the large glass windows and the interior gallery of the stalls, as well as restoration of the annexes and the vaulted ceiling in the central hall.

Château de Prye Today

Once the stables are restored, owners Antoine-Emmanuel and Magdalena du Bourg de Bozas aim to further develop tourism and cultural activities centered around equestrian pursuits, particularly driving four-horse carriages. In addition to hosting horses and riders, they plan to organize equestrian competitions and other large-scale events to showcase their passion to a broader audience. Plans include renovating the first floor to expand accommodations and hosting a cultural program centred around living heritage, including equestrian arts, falconry, music, singing, artisan crafts, literature and more. 

A masterpiece of 17th-century French architecture, the summer apartments of Anne of Austria, mother of Louis XIV, now serve as an exhibition gallery within the Louvre, blending royal history with artistic heritage.

Site History

The summer apartments of Anne of Austria, mother of Louis XIV, were designed by architect Louis Le Vau between 1655 and 1658. Situated on the ground floor of what is now the Louvre’s Petite Galerie, the apartments originally comprised a grand salon, an antechamber (now the Hall of Seasons), a vestibule (now the Salon of Peace), a grand cabinet, a parade bedroom and a small cabinet—now unified into a single exhibition space.

This historically significant residence, once occupied by Catherine de Médicis before becoming Anne of Austria’s summer retreat and later housing Louis XIV, bears witness to centuries of French royal history. The influence of Le Vau’s architectural vision, combined with Romanelli’s Italianate frescoes and Anguier’s sculptural mastery, underscores the grandeur of the apartments. Following the French Revolution, the rooms were repurposed as the Gallery of Antiquities, displaying Greek, Etruscan and Roman artifacts. 

In 2024, the apartments hosted the prestigious exhibition Masterpieces from the Torlonia Collection, featuring one of the world’s most important private collections of ancient sculpture, reinforcing their status as a link between past and present.

About the Project

Restoration work aims to stabilize and enhance the original decorative elements, from frescoes to stucco reliefs, safeguarding them against structural wear and environmental deterioration. These efforts ensure that the apartments continue to serve as an exceptional setting for historical and artistic exhibitions.

The Apartments Today

Now an integral part of the Louvre’s exhibition spaces, the apartments remain dedicated to displaying classical antiquities, offering visitors an immersive experience that bridges the grandeur of French royal heritage and the richness of ancient art.