It is now a ritual marking the return of heritage. Monday September 4, Stéphane Bern, the Minister of Culture, the heritage foundation and the Française des jeux (FDJ) unveiled, from the former bailiwick of Pont-de-l’Arche, in Normandy (Eure), the list of the 100 sites in danger which will be helped by the Loto du patrimoine. They are added to 18 other sites, said to be emblematic, already announced last March.
Among the 100, there are character houses, a park kiosk, a barn, chapels, churches, private castles, towers or mills. All departments are covered, including overseas. They are mostly unprotected, half belong to associations and, for 39% of them, to private owners. The former 17th century bailiwick, the scene of Monday’s announcement, was bought by the city in 1998, before being transferred to the Seine-Eure Agglomeration in 2008. With its court and its jails, it testifies to a prison past. It is currently under construction, in order to put it out of the water, for 1.3 million euros. The agglomeration, which had the idea of turning to the Bern mission, estimates that it would be necessary to find another 2.4 million to restore it. It plans to eventually transform this 700 square meter building into “a multi-activity place combining experience, play and conviviality”.
“Heritage is more than old stones, and its preservation is essential to maintain an activity even in the smallest municipalities”, judged the minister. On the same day, the FDJ launched its “Mission Patrimoine” games (scratch ticket at 15 euros) and announced seven loto draws (September 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 16) in favor of heritage in hazard. This year, 1.83 euros per scratch ticket purchased and 0.54 euros per Loto grid played will be donated by the State to the Heritage Foundation.
It may not seem like much, but since the start of the operation five years ago, more than 125 million euros have already been collected through games of chance for the benefit of Mission Bern. Based on these sums, sponsorship, donations and public subsidies have been raised, with the Loto creating momentum. Stéphane Bern, the main authorizing officer of the operation, speaks of an additional 103 million euros mobilized, which made it possible to save 500 sites which no one had the means to take care of until then. Admittedly, “there is still a lot to do” admits Guillaume Poitrinal, president of the Heritage Foundation. But little by little, a part of neglected France is regaining color thanks to this mission.
100 new sites have therefore been selected in 2023. They are in addition to the 18 emblematic projects already unveiled last March.
Auvergne-Rhône Alpes:
Burgundy-Franche-Comte:
Brittany :
Centre-Loire Valley:
Racing:
Great East:
Hauts-de-France:
Ile-de-France :
Normandy:
New Aquitaine:
Occitania:
Pays de la Loire :
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur :
Guadeloupe :
Martinique :
Guyana:
The meeting :
