A place steeped in history, the Château de Montet is about to be sold to its commune – rts.ch

The place itself has a turbulent history. From the end of the 19th century, it hosted the Marini Institute, an orphanage known for sexual abuse of children. It then housed a secondary school before being bought by the Focolare, an Italian secular movement.

>> Also read: Mistreatment and sexual abuse did take place at the Friborg Marini Institute

This departure is an unexpected opportunity for the town. It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to acquire an estate of 40,000 m2 with buildings. And this while she is looking for space for a crèche or for after-school care, explains the trustee of the commune of Montets Sébastien Baudin in the 12:30 p.m.

“Our immediate idea is to rent the existing premises,” continues the elected official. At the same time, he specifies that the objective is to develop a study mandate to use this site optimally, whether from an urban planning, architectural or mobility point of view. “The challenge is to meet the future needs of the municipality and perhaps even those of the region.”

A sale price of 29 million

And there is no question for Focolare of speculating on the sale price. Social engagement is part of their DNA. They wanted to sell at a price that reflected the real value of the place. Ideally, they wanted to find a buyer who also works for the common good. The municipality ticked all the criteria. The sale price was set at 29 million francs. A fair price, according to Hugo Fasel, president of the sales commission.

“We made a certain concession to the municipality. But I think it’s correct and, at some point, we also have to decide. And if we know that it’s going to pass into the right hands, we have to carry out the business.”

The formal purchase decision must be taken on December 9 by the municipality. She hopes the site will be profitable within two years.

Nicolas Beer/fgn