The castle of La Mothe-Chandeniers was falling into ruins, it is saved.
The new, and numerous, owners have raised 1.6 million euros to save the building.
The rescue of a romantic ruin in Poitou by participatory buyout has exceeded all expectations: the castle of La Mothe-Chandeniers will now have nearly 25,000 co-owners from 115 different countries.
"This is a record in France and probably in Europe in terms of funds raised and contributors," says Romain Delaume, CEO of the agency Dartagnans.fr, which launched the collective purchase operation in October with the association "Adopt a Castle.
Lovers of heritage mobilized all over the world: France, United States, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Peru and many other countries.
For 50 € you could have your own little piece of castle.
Built in the 13th century, it belonged to the Bauçay family, whose name it bears, the Motte de Bauçay.
After the death of Marie de Bauçay, it went to the Chaunay family, lord of Champdeniers in the Deux-Sèvres.
It was then attributed to Jean de Rochechouart, chamberlain to King Louis XI, and then passed to François de Rochechouart.
A few centuries later, in 1932, when Baron Robert Lejeune had just installed central heating, a violent fire broke out.
In 1963, after the Algerian war, the retired industrialist Jules Cavroy bought the estate. Repatriates from Algeria worked the land at La Mothe. In the early 1980s, the Crédit Lyonnais bought the woods before selling them in different lots to several owners.
The abandoned estate was revived.
Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers
86120 Les Trois-Moutiers
Association Les amis du château de la Mothe-Chandeniers
Bruno Griffon
39, route de Sireuil,
16440 Roullet Saint-estèphe
http://murat1767.wixsite.com/lamothechandeniers
