At the end of the year, the Heritage Foundation has just revealed the sums allocated by the Mission Bern and its Heritage Loto to the monuments selected in each French department.
In Normandy, five restoration projects were selected last September and the overall envelope of grants awarded will amount to €1.16 million with a maximum of 300,000 euros per file. This is also the amount that the Church of the Holy Trinity in Falaise (Calvados), the former Saint-Paul church in Granville (Manche) and the Notre-Dame-de-la-Trappe abbey in Soligny-la-Trappe (Orne).
“Everything is ready to start the work! »
In Eure, the owners of the old ribbon factory located in Saint-Aubin-de-Scellon will receive 130,000 euros to renovate the frame and roof of the building, as well as part of the frames. “The urgency was to protect it from the vagaries of the weather, especially with the numerous rains this year,” insists Tra-Giang Langlet who, with her husband, hopes to be able to bring this emblematic place of the economy back to life. local from the end of the 19th century within a few years and open it to the public.
In Seine-Maritime, it was ultimately the Catel manor, located in the Pays de Caux in Écretteville-lès-Baons, which had the surprise of being designated to receive the 130,000 euros initially planned for the restoration of the Clos- Guillerville hovel. “This change was made in particular at the request of the association which manages the place due to a lack of maturity of the project. In fact, it has been put on hold for the moment,” explains Olivier Leclerc, the regional delegate of the Heritage Foundation who therefore decided to grant the endowment to the oldest fortified house in Normandy nestled in the heart of a valley also open to visitors.
“We were a little disappointed not to have been selected even if, obviously, other projects also deserve to be helped,” assures the owner of the Catel manor, Frédéric Toussaint who, in 2025, will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the he purchased this completely abandoned medieval site when he discovered it. “When we received the phone call at the beginning of December from the Heritage Foundation, there was a lot of joy. Especially since everything is ready to start the work! »
2025, an important year
With the money, Frédéric Toussaint will be able to finalize the restoration of the two large surrounding walls which date from the 13th century and for which there was an emergency. “We will also be able to tackle the construction of the large access door to the manor which looks a bit like that of Jumièges Abbey,” continues the owner who also plans to install wooden doors in the towers. “The overall budget will undoubtedly be around 300,000 euros, but we can say that in 2025 most of the restoration of the Catel mansion will be completed with, at the same time, the creation of a real reception area. »
Many events are already planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the purchase, including a medieval bar open four times during the summer and an exhibition dedicated to drinks concocted at the time. “We have exceeded the 5,000 visitor mark and we want to do everything we can to welcome even more. When we own such a place, it does not completely belong to us because it is a monument which is part of our common heritage,” concludes Frédéric Toussaint.