On a trip to Chambord Castle on 9 June, the Minister of Culture and Communication, Audrey Azoulay, announced an exceptional €8 million in assistance for non-state-owned historical monuments that were affected by the floods.
Audrey Azoulay, Minister of Culture and Communication, visited Chambord (Loir-et-Cher) on Thursday, June 9, following the floods of recent days. She was able to see the damage on the estate and make a point of situation with the elected officials of the department.
Assess damage, supervise restoration work
The minister recalled on this occasion that all the services of the State mobilized as early as last week and went, as far as possible, on the spot.
The damage assessment, currently underway, is the first emergency. Regional Cultural Affairs Directorates (DRAC) and all departments of the Ministry of Culture are in constant contact with museum managers and owners of damaged historical monuments to provide technical and scientific assistance. It is a matter of assessing the damage, taking the first steps and in the weeks and months to come to oversee the restoration work.
Audrey Azoulay salutes the teams of museums and monuments who made immense efforts, at the height of the flood, to preserve the heritage
Unprotected monuments and gardens: exceptional support
The Minister has already announced the implementation of an exceptional aid amounting to 8 million euros, for the damaged historical monuments not belonging to the State.
In addition, an exceptional grant will be paid to the Heritage Foundation for the management of heritage gardens labeled but not protected under the title of historical monuments, which were often the first to suffer the rise of the waters.
With regard to the Girodet de Montargis museum, which is particularly affected, the Ministry, via the DRAC, will organize a meeting with the elected representatives concerned and the Curators and determine in the light of the specific needs and the amount of work, the level of intervention of the State.
Preserve the heritage
Once again, the Minister would like to salute the teams of museums and monuments, whether national, public or private, who made immense efforts to preserve the heritage at the height of the flood. It also welcomes the mobilization of volunteers and the solidarity of our fellow citizens.
Museums and castles have mostly reopened to the public at the beginning of the week.
Museums, monuments, gardens, libraries... the dates of the flood
June 3: Audrey Azoulay gathers at the Louvre Museum those responsible for public cultural institutions and territories affected by the floods
4 June: as the Seine flood reaches its peak at 6.1 metres, the Flood Risk Prevention Plan, created in 2002, is activated by the Louvre Museum. It provides for the closure of the museum and the evacuation of works located in flood zones
June 4: with Audrey Azoulay, President François Hollande went to the Louvre Museum during the night to encourage the teams mobilized
June 5: Gradual reopening of the first museums and cultural institutions
8 June: reopening of the Louvre and Orsay museums and the National Library of France
9 June: Audrey Azoulay announces an exceptional aid of €8 million for historical monuments not belonging to the State that have been affected by the floods.
