They hit the jackpot: these endangered heritage jewels from the region, soon to be saved by the Bern Mission

Le château de Saint-Alban, le fort de Bellegarde, le théâtre du Minotaure ou le hameau du Bez ont touché le gros lot. Association La Folie de Cadenet.

The Heritage Mission for the preservation of heritage led by Stéphane Bern has revealed the amounts from the heritage lottery that will be granted to one hundred sites currently under construction. There is one per department.

In the scrubland of Castries, in Hérault, the folly of Cadenet has regained all its splendor. A few years ago, however, this gazebo from the second half of the 19th century had collapsed and was decaying over time. The more time passed, the more the bill for renovating it seemed to be steep. “Nearly €500,000″,estimated its owner in 2020. She therefore had the idea of ​​asking the Fondation du Patrimoine which, since 2018 thanks to MissionBern, has awarded a hundred sites each year, one per department, substantial aid from the FDJ Heritage Lottery.

The jackpot. The €300,000 awarded in 2021 not only reduced the final bill, “and this allowed us to have real media coverage, therefore even more visibility”, said at the time the co-president of the association La Folie du Cadenet. Individuals also contributed and the work was able to be completed, with the result that we can admire today.

The madness of Cadenet has regained its former face Association La Folie de Cadenet.

The same year, in Lozère, the stables of the Château de Molezon, whose condition was even more degraded, were awarded €146,000 and, since then, the owners have regularly posted the progress of the work on social networks. In 2022, in Gard, it was the Château de Cassagnoles that received €108,000 to renovate its dovecote. Since the first edition in 2018, the Mission Patrimoine has helped more than 950 sites in France and 680 have now been saved or are about to be saved.

This year, it was a bit of an early Christmas for the sites selected in 2024, who learned in recent days the amount of aid they will receive. Significant sums and a spotlight on these sites whose common point is to display a dilapidation that puts them in danger.

1- The hospital castle of Saint-Alban

The castle of Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole. Association La Folie de Cadenet.

It is an emblematic place of Margeride. Historical even, since it is from here that the hunts to eliminate the beast of Gévaudan began. The castle of Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole, in Lozère, mentioned as early as the 12th century, was then the cradle of institutional psychotherapy and Art Brut. But in 1971, a major fire ravaged part of the roof, which is now threatening to collapse. The aim of its delicate restoration is to breathe new life into the building, to open it to visitors or host exhibitions. The project received the sum of €300,000.

2- The hamlet of Bez in Séverac-le-Château

The hamlet of Bez, in Séverac-le-Château. Association La Folie de Cadenet.

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Le Bez is an isolated hamlet on the Causse de Sévérac, in Aveyron, at an altitude of 780 m. The first mention of the estate dates back to the middle of the 13th century, but it was in the 17th century that the lords of Sévérac chose this favourite place for their hunting party. The fortified house has a round tower on the main side housing a staircase, as well as a square tower at the back, a vestige of an old watchtower from the Middle Ages. While the main buildings, built according to traditional Caussenarde architecture, in limestone and slate, remain in good condition, this is not the case for the rest of the hamlet. The new owners want to preserve the estate sustainably, to make it a place that combines culture and nature, and have obtained €250,000 for this.

3- The Bellegarde fort in Le Perthus

The Bellegarde fort, in Perthus. Association La Folie de Cadenet.

Built in the 17th century, the Fort de Bellegarde is located on the Franco-Spanish border, overlooking the town of Le Perthus in the Pyrénées-Orientales. This imposing 14-hectare fortification played a crucial role during the Revolution in 1793 and also served as an internment camp for Spanish Republican refugees in 1939. The site, whose defenses Vauban himself had reinforced in 1679, has also served as a setting for several films, including “La Scoumoune” with Jean-Paul Belmondo and “L’Évadé” with Charles Bronson. However, the building presents structural disorders with a risk of falling materials making the route dangerous. Largely closed, the renovated fort would allow the organization of artistic events, the creation of a new visitor route as well as the establishment of businesses. His “gain”: €210,000.

4- The Minotaur Theatre in Béziers

The Minotaur Theatre. Association La Folie de Cadenet.

A major musical venue in Béziers, inaugurated on 11 November 1898 to host concerts by the Chambre Musicale and its international artists, the Minotaur Theatre has also hosted works by prestigious painters such as Pissarro, Gauguin, Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, etc. Too dilapidated today, its façade is even in danger of collapsing. Its restoration will allow it to host concerts, shows and artistic events again. The Heritage Lottery is providing it with €200,000.

5- The Moulin de la Jalousie in Belpech

The Jalousie mill, in Belpech. La Folie de Cadenet Association.

Located on the Vixiège River in the Aude, the Moulin de la Jalousie was built in 1795. Its name comes from the jealousy that the inhabitants felt for the owner, who marked this opposition by writing it on the building's christening plaque. It is built on two floors and provides access to the small flour mill where two grain millstones are stored. But time has taken its toll, both on the roofs, the frame and the turbines that have been rusting since 1910. Its renovation would allow visits to be hosted, but also to create professional reintegration workshops around woodworking. The Foundation awarded him €160,000.

6- The church of Russan in Sainte-Anastasie

The church of Russan, in Sainte-Anastasie. Association La Folie de Cadenet.

In the heart of the hamlet of Russan, this church was built in 1681, with the agreement of the Bishop of Uzès. It has retained its 19th century decorations and remains of 17th century decorations. It has a large painting by the painter Xavier Sigalon dating from 1807 and classified as a Historic Monument (now exhibited in the town hall). Unfortunately, advanced deterioration has been noted on the plaster and paintwork, caused by the construction of a concrete slab that traps moisture. It is therefore necessary to make the building watertight to continue the religious function of the building while giving it a cultural dimension. The church has received €130,000 for this. A blessing in these tight budgetary times for communities.

Candidates for 2025 open

The Fondation du Patrimoine has opened applications for the year 2025. As 6,300 sites have done since 2018, it is possible to make the needs of a heritage property known on the website www.missionbern.fr.

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