Last week at the Mediterranean University Center, the restoration presentation of the tower of the Château de Guillaumes took place. This château has been part of a restoration and preservation program led by the Heritage Foundation and the Bern Mission.
In 12 years, more than 170 projects in the Alpes-Maritimes have been supported by the Heritage Foundation. In 2018, it was the Château de la Reine Jeanne that the foundation decided to support during the first edition of the heritage lottery, created as part of the Bern Mission. In addition to the Château de Guillaumes, the Bern Mission supported six other projects in the Alpes-Maritimes, such as the Matisse House in Vence. The commune was eventually one of the winners of this 1st edition of the lottery. Thanks to this victory, the tower of the château, listed since 1931, was able to be saved.
From 2019 to 2023:
To preserve it, it was urgently necessary to consolidate the mound supporting it because it had been hollowed out and was threatening to collapse. These were the most urgent works. Reinforced concrete was thus poured into the empty space within the mound. Following this, masonry work began. The only problem was accessing the tower. Therefore, a bridge allowing access to the site was created, as well as scaffolding around the tower to carry out the necessary work. As the work progressed, the masons realized that the tower had been plastered in the past: they decided to recreate the last known state of this plaster and covered the tower with it.
To secure and facilitate access to the château, some modifications were made. Stairs were redone, an access walkway is now present and follows the natural path that existed there originally. Furthermore, it is built with the most transparent elements possible to not spoil the building. A guardrail was also placed at the entrance of the château and the cistern. A forest path to the château is usable and regularly maintained by the friends of the Château de Guillaumes. More than €600,000 was needed to carry out all these works, but let us not forget that this is only part of the Château de Guillaumes: the work is far from finished.
And now?
For 2024, further work is planned, particularly concerning the keep, which lacks a roof. Unfortunately, the commune does not yet have the authorization to provide one. Bernard Graille, a municipal councilor, would like to create a thematic circuit that would allow visits to the château. The ultimate goal of reconstructing the Château de la Reine Jeanne is to save it, preserve it, and pass it on, all without denaturing it. To do this, the city of Guillaumes organizes many events such as the château festival or even a book festival. Thus, the inhabitants bring the château and the village to life while passing on the past to new generations.
With all these activities, the mayor of Guillaumes, Jean-Paul David, wishes to modernize his commune.
Léa Tort
