On December 28, 2021, the announcement was a real shock for many: Grichka Bogdanoff died from Covid-19. Six days later, on January 3, 2022, his brother Igor followed him. He too suffered from the same disease and had not been vaccinated either. The two presenters have left a big void in the French audiovisual landscape. But not only that: they also left behind a castle in ruins…
The two presenters known for popularizing certain scientific themes have left a legacy the castle of Esclignac, located in Monfort in the Gers. This is a superb 11th century building, classified as a historic monument, which the twins had owned for almost forty years. But this is actually a poisoned chalice, in a way. Indeed, the castle is falling into ruins! Cédric Davant-Lannes, president of the preservation of Gascon heritage, did not hesitate to sound the alarm on Thursday June 20, 2024 on the air of France 3 Occitanie. “Half of the beams of the main roof have already fallen, that’s 40 tonnes weighing on the ground of the 4th floor and the roof has completely twisted“, he regretted. And continued, disappointed by the situation: “It’s raining inside and out so important are the cracks and breaches.”
Igor and Grichka Bogdanoff already alerted to the state of the castle
This is not the first time that the subject of the pitiful state of the castle has been raised. Indeed, April 2023, The Parisian pointed out several points:Ripped roof, collapsed structural beams in the outbuildings, numerous broken windows…“And many years earlier, in 2016, Cédric Davant-Lannes had made a rant to The Dispatch : “There’s enough of it, the Bogdanov brothers, who partly own the castle, really don’t do much! I slammed my fist on the table!“But eight years later, nothing has changed. Well, yes, the castle has deteriorated even more, due to lack of maintenance…
Esclignac castle is falling into ruins: at least 5 million to renovate it!
Remember that it was in 1986 that Igor and Grichka Bogdanoff bought the residence, which previously belonged to the Preissac family from the nobility, for around 280,000 euros. Cédric Davant-Lannes had made a proposal to the duo during their lifetime: he wanted to buy the castle for 700,000 euros in order to renovate it. Offer refused. And today, the amounts are much crazier! “In forty years, nothing has been done to protect it. It would already take 5 to 6 million euros just for the roofs, declared Cédric Davant-Lannes at Parisian. The only way today to prevent this almost thousand-year-old castle from collapsing is for it to be sold to a lover of old stones who has the means.“In the region, many people regret the state of the building.”It is a disaster“, says a resident. It remains to be seen whether the Château d’Esclignac will subsequently benefit from the restoration it deserves…
