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Latest update: 16/12/2010
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Part of Versailles Palace to become luxury hotel
Preparations are underway for a Belgian company to turn part of the Chateau de Versailles into a luxury hotel. But the handing over of a chunk of treasured public heritage to a private operator is an unusual occurrence in France.
By FRANCE 24 (text)
It’s a sumptuous historical monument, a wildly popular tourist attraction, and a symbol of French monarchy and decadence.
Now the Palace of Versailles is getting ready to add to its list of functions: preparations are underway for a Belgian company to turn The Hotel du Grand Controle, traditionally home to the palace’s treasurers, into a luxury hotel.
The initiative is meant to spur a two-pronged plan to exploit the economic potential of certain valuable, but expensively maintained and often damaged buildings while simultaneously pursuing their renovation. But the handing over of a chunk of treasured public heritage to a private operator is an unusual occurrence in France.
‘A pioneering initiative’
The project is expected to transform the Hotel du Grand Controle into a 23-bedroom hotel scheduled to open in late 2011. Some of those rooms will overlook the “Orangerie”, an elaborate greenhouse featuring lemon trees and orange trees.
Jean-Jacques Aillagon, president of the Chateau de Versailles, has said that without the arrangement he would not have the budget necessary to renovate the building. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Aillagon called the creation of the hotel “a pioneering initiative”. He added that his mission was to save the building, which was “in a very dilapidated state”.
According to the initiative, Belgian company Ivy International SA will renovate the 1,700 square-metre Hotel du Grand Controle -- which was built in the 1680s by architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Ivy will lease the building from Versailles over the next 30 years. The renovation, headed by Frederic Didier, chief architect for historic monuments, is expected to cost roughly 5.5 million euros -- or 7.3 million dollars.
Ivy will then pay back a percentage of the hotel’s profits as “rent” to the Chateau de Versailles. The amount will vary in proportion to how much money the hotel makes.
The construction of the hotel is made possible by an agreement signed in 2009 between the French Culture Ministry and the Tourism Department that was intended to boost the economic development of French historical and cultural landmarks.
To achieve that goal, the Centre for National Monuments has asked the Atout France agency, in charge of developing tourism, to consider a proposal to similarly convert 20 other listed heritage sites, including French royal palace Chateau de Fontainebleau.
French Senator Albéric de Montgolfier, of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s centre-right UMP party, presented Sarkozy with a favourable report on the project. He pointed to what he framed as the economic necessity of the initiative, saying that in this context, plans to convert part of the Palace of Versailles into a hotel “must be supported”.
Montgolfier concluded his report by recommending the creation in France of hotels located in converted monuments, inspired by the luxury “paradors” in Spain that are usually set up in monasteries or castles.
‘Gambling with a public possession’
But the financial motivation is not reason enough for everyone to justify entrusting one of France’s most prized cultural possessions to a company. In an interview with France24.com, Philippe Revault, a professor at the Paris School of Architecture, expressed his indignation. “Once again, it’s economic logic that wins out. In the name of profitability and lack of finances, they’re gambling with a public possession, which by definition is inalienable and must remain accessible to all citizens”, Revault said.
The Palace of Versailles, once a spectacular setting for French state affairs, is a particularly cherished cultural landmark beloved by visitors who flock to its famed Hall of Mirrors and lush gardens; the UNESCO World Heritage Centre has named it one of the greatest achievements of 18th-century French art.
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Comments (23)
versailles
Bad idea. Only the extremely wealthy will be able to take advantage of this project (as usual) And soonere or later the French public will have to pay for it.
Philippe Revault is right.
Money, money - why Sarkozy don't give more donations for Versailles ? France be shame. Your historical monuments becomes commercial kitsch. No hotel in monuments like this. Other things are less important palaces or houses, but Versailles is treasure of French People.
This will destroy France!
This is a complete catastrophe! The only country in the world with any money is the U.S. with their endless bankrupt - yet eternally rolling - greenback dollar. Because of this, the U.S. will certainly own France - like it already does most of the other nations.
Audition des nouvelles en langue française
nous voulons écouter les nouvelles français parlé en français. Actuellement, il est en anglais
S'il vous plaît aidez-moi à changer cette situation.
merci
Rosalind et Tom Baker
france is a cool place
france is a cool place
what a disgrace for France,
what a disgrace for France, this section of the Versailles palace does not belong to anyone to rent it out, but to everyone as French patrimonial....
versailles
If any of the buildings in the Versailles complex is to be in use of anything it is for exhabitions conserning the palace or perhaps a retreat for the royal family; today known as count de Paris. And stop have exhabitions of modern art rubbish inside the palace itself, we flock to versailles to see 18th and 17th century...not modern pop art. Merci.Eugene udeBorn.
Bad taste & most un french
I am sure they contemplated the cost of added security since it would be a great terrorist target with a suitcase bomb. I think the last King and Queen of France should be the last residents of Versailles.
Public Assets?
With the figures for homelessness in France between 100,000 and 200,000 perhaps the Chevaliers and other great and not so good figures of the French Establishment might like to consider doing something more useful with the ironically titled The Hotel du Grand Controle. The last thing the world needs is yet another luxury hotel whereas a bit of decent accommodation for the people who fall through the cracks and who can't stuff their baubles into Louis Vuitton luggage would not go amiss.
Public Property?
With the figures for homelessness in France between 100,000 and 200,000 perhaps the Chevaliers and other great and not so good figures of the French Establishment might like to consider doing something more useful with the ironically titled The Hotel du Grand Controle. The last thing the world needs is yet another luxury hotel whereas a bit of decent accomodation for the people who fall through the cracks would not go amiss.
hotel
It is like every work of man an item that will decay back into the earth in a short time without constant and expensive repairs. The real question is how to best achieve a balance between that reality and the need to preserve this item. Even in beautiful France, money does not grow on trees.
hotel
this hotel will distract from the historical aspect of a national teasure
money
Yes, money is a real thing that is obtained and spent in return for goods or services rendered. No rocket science here.
Palace of Versailles
That is really low class, but to give a contract to a company from another country is just stupid. Who ever decided to do this should have awreded the contract to a French company.
First I hear The UK govenment
First I hear The UK govenment is proposing to sell off the country's precious forests and now the French government is selling one of the most famous monuments in the world to a hotel chain. What nobody has mentioned is that these assets belong to the people, not just to the fat cats that will be able to access them in the future. Governments should protect heritage, not sell it off like a bunch of estate agents eager to get their hands on the cash.
Versailles
It would be a crime to do such thing.
Hotel du Grand Controle
C'est une idée brillante ! Bonne chance ! En encore 50 années, même les Américains pourraient comprendre le potentiel.
Great Idea!
I think that the plan is brilliant. Louis XIV built the palace to showcase France's preeminence in Europe. What better way than to allow people the privilege of sleeping in one of Europe's, no, the world's great architectural achievements. I am sure that there are plenty of people of means who would gladly pay handsomely. This is precisely why capitalism is superior to socialism. People would still be able to enjoy it as they do now, and it would preserve Versailles for generations to come without causing burden to the French people.
What is your view?
Not so unusual...Clinton did
Not so unusual...Clinton did the same thing with the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House.
versailles
what's next, bungee jumping off of the eiffel tower?....
Versailles
How sad. Times must really be tough in France. Loius XIV must be rolling in his grave ( tomb).
hotel
think it is a greai idea. the goverment of france like my country the USA are broke and can't take care of anything the hotel profits will pay for the upkeep as these buildingsreally start to get old. i wish they would do this in the states
people of all nations who love history will visit
god bless the allies rest in peace all american soldiers laid to rest in france.
hotel
i think it is an excellent way to go. france is broke like the USA and can't do anything to well lately.it will keep these sacred places maintained as they start to really get old.visitors will stay there etc.'etc, i hope they do this in the states
god please the allies god please all the american soldiers laid to rest in france
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