Eure. All the owners of this castle have signed to transfer their shares

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The Eure prefecture communicated on Tuesday November 5, 2024 to announce news awaited for several weeks and decisive for the future of the Grand Château from Serquigny (Eure).

All of the 21 owners of the castle (the part of the site inside the moat) signed the protocol for the transfer of their property, to the symbolic euroto the municipality.

Emergency works

Built in the 17th century, and partly protected under the historical monumentsthis building suffered a serious fire on December 31, 2023 causing significant damage to the main building and the north wing, including the disappearance of the roof of the castle.

As of January 4, 2024, the mayor of Serquigny took a danger order asking the owners concerned to carry out emergency work.

Faced with the absence of work, although prescribed in the said decree, and on the basis of the emergency, the municipality took its place in order to carry out the conservation work, thus making it possible to save the castle.

State services, and in particular the regional directorate of architecture and heritage (DRAC), supported the community to ensure the implementation of work to safeguard the castle and their financing (up to 40% of the total amount of work), with the assistance of local authorities (regional council, departmental council, Bernay Terres de Normandie intercommunity) and the Heritage Foundation.

“On June 3, 2024, the emergency water and air protection work was accepted by the chief architect of historic monuments, without reservation, thanks to the expertise of local companies TERH and Desmonts” reports the Eure prefecture.

Transactional protocol

The Serquigny municipal council met on September 20, 2024 to approve the transactional protocol proposed to the owners: in exchange for their agreement to sell their shares for the symbolic euro, the municipality waives re-invoicing the costs incurred for emergency work.

They will also not have to assume financial charges required for backup and restoration work. “The transfer of property rights to the municipality of Serquigny should facilitate investment projects for the necessary reconstruction of this historic site,” specifies the Eure prefecture.

There are two more parts left

This is an important step that has been taken, as timeshares have long been a real obstacle. The Grand Château was sold in lots, as part of a tax exemption operation, at the beginning of the 2000s. And it must be remembered that the estate is decomposing in three pieces : the castle, the outbuildings, and the woods and meadows.

For the castle, the signatures are therefore official, the file is settled. On the other hand, concerning the other two parts, the work must continue. There are 15 co-owners to convince for the outbuildings alone.

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