IN PICTURES – A Dordogne castle awarded for its renovation by a family over 50 years

“It’s like a pang in the heart, with a lot of emotions”confides Vincent Michot, the little brother of the siblings, on the eve of receiving the prize in the 2024 Geste d'or national competition in the Golden Family category. Since 1977, this entire family has been working to carry out major renovation work in the Château Le Fournel in Villefranche-du-Périgord. A long story, which begins with a ruin, completely destroyed walls, a roof with large missing subscribers, and neighbors who came to help themselves to stone.

The work of two generations

“My father being in construction, having already renovated buildings, they embarked on this project”explains Pierre Michot, the older brother who has lived in the castle for almost eight years. During all school holidays, the children gave their parents a helping hand. The youngest worked for 40 years to renovate this place.

“We have been renovating this pile of stones for around fifty years, slips Pierre. My father was still 75 years old and he still put up a wall by himself, whether it was Monday or Sunday, if there was work to be done, we did it.” They have redone everything for many years, walls, framework, and many other projects.

Pass on this castle

Little by little, they are completed a large part of the work who was waiting for this family. As soon as he returns, the youngest of the two brothers is invaded by memories, in a place where he has invested enormously. “It's a lot of time, tears, pain, because after 50 years of work, there have been quite a few accidents, fingers cut off, we fell from the scaffolding, my father 'broke your back'says Vincent. A story engraved in the body, for the one who took over the family business in the construction industry.

This prize is a consecration for their parents. This is what the two brothers say in unanimous voice. They both want to emphasize this aspect, as proof of their father's investment in his titanic work, the cost of which cannot even be counted. The rest is suspended, the fault of financial difficulties. From now on, they are looking for patrons to finance the rest of the project, which could amount to more than 600,000 eurosaccording to their estimates. “It’s a building that will leave traces for future generations”rejoices Pierre Michot at the idea of ​​seeing his children take over this place.