The Château de la Reine Jeanne in Guillaumes is the only project in the Alpes-Maritimes selected to benefit from the Heritage Lottery in September 2018 for the preservation of endangered heritage.
The municipality of Guillaumes urgently wishes to reinforce the structure supporting the keep, restore its masonry to prevent further degradation, build a roof over the tower, and secure the site.
This urgent and essential project exceeds the financial capabilities of the municipality of Guillaumes, with the total estimate amounting to 500,000 euros excluding tax. Public funding is planned but remains insufficient.
As a result, the municipality of Guillaumes, the association “Les Amis du Château de Guillaumes,” and the Heritage Foundation of the Alpes-Maritimes have signed an agreement to support the restoration of the Château de la Reine Jeanne, whose keep is in great danger of collapsing.
The castle is a model of military architecture at the heart of an important viguerie.
Built by King René in 1450, equipped with a permanent garrison by the King of France, Charles IX, and fortified by Vauban in 1706, it became one of the fortifications defending the border of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia.
Since 2011, an acceleration in the degradation has raised fears of the keep’s collapse: A cavity is forming at its base in the soft rock.
After its restoration, the castle will be integrated into an augmented reality animation project that will immerse visitors in the Vauban period.
