Salvert Castle is located in the Loire Valley. This castle has been partially destroyed by a fire in March 2016. Interview of its owners, Michel and Monica Le Pelletier de Glatigny.
What is the link between your family and Salvert Castle?
Salvert Castle is a private historic place that has belonged to the family for more than 400 years.
What is the history of the castle? What are the main historical events?
Former dwelling of the 16th century, built for hunting, a wing was added in the 18th century. Everything was standardized in the 19th century by the architect Joly Couët, disciple of Joly Le Terme, which makes this castle one of the most sculpted of Anjou, in the purest neo-Gothic style.
What does this castle represent to you?
We are custodians of the castle, beating every day to make it alive, and ensure its sustainability.
It’s even more difficult when a fire destroyed the roof in March (2016). A surge of solidarity is taking place to save this jewel of Angevin neo-gothic. Dozens of people have come to Salvert for several weekends to empty the attic. We understood that Salvert does not only matter to us!
“We are custodians of the castle, beating every day to make it alive, and ensure its sustainability.”
According to you, what is “castle life” nowadays?
Castle life is not easy; you have to deal with a building maintenance 10 times higher, in terms of area, than a normal house, not including the architecture specificities of a so sculpted castle; its turrets, battlements, ridge crests, spikes, flowerets do not facilitate daily maintenance. This property is neither classified nor listed in the Inventory of Historical Monuments.
What do you organise at Salvert Castle?
We settled in Salvert in 1992, we created an activity of guest rooms/guest tables and three guest houses to contribute to the maintenance of the property.
You have launched a crowdfunding campaign on Culture Time, could you tell us more about it?
“The Friends of Salvert Castle” Association has decided to launch a crowfunding campaign to save this neo-Gothic jewel, and finance the obsolescence factor inherent to older buildings, not covered by insurance. The project started last (2016) September 7th with great success and a good visibility.
The first level of € 12,000 was reached within two days “never seen before” according to Culture Time (crowdfunding platform), and then, thanks to a strong mobilization, we have reached the second level of € 25,000 in two weeks. To date (October 10th, 2016), we exceeded € 39,000 thanks to 136 patrons.
It is thanks to them that the work has actually begun this week by the North Tower where the roofer removed the charred slates. Companies of masonry and carpentry work at the moment to rebuild this tower. The Association of Friends of Salvert Castle remains mobilized to reach € 55 000 before October 19th (2016), (campaign end date) to finance the third phase of work corresponding to the central tower.
There is still time to give your name to a slate, and discover other exclusive rewards. Every donation is tax deductible up to 66% (for French people).
This is undoubtedly a new impetus given with this campaign of the “Friends of the Salvert Castle” which organizes a lot of activities this year, especially in November (a concert in favour of the restoration of the roof after the fire).
Thank you Monica and Michel for this interview!
Website of Salvert Castle: http://www.chateau-de-salvert.fr/,
Facebook page of Salvert Castle: https://www.facebook.com/Restauration-du-Ch%C3%A2teau-de-Salvert-suite-%C3%A0-lincendie-du-18-mars-2016-183986302003703/,
Crowdfunding campaign: https://www.culture-time.com/fr/projet/chateau-de-salvert
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