CMN’s major projects

The Centre des Monuments Nationaux preserves, restores, manages, organises activities at and opens nearly 100 monuments in France to the public.

For several decades, the teams at this century-old organisation have been working to conserve and restore major heritage sites!

Before we introduce you to the CMN’s most spectacular restoration projects, let’s go back to basics: 

Restoration or reconstruction – what’s the difference? 

• Reconstruction: this is the process of restoring an object to its original state by removing any traces of subsequent modifications and alterations it may have undergone. This, for example, was the aim of the project carried out on the 18th-century sections ofthe Hôtel de la Marine!
• Restoration: this involves repairing a work of art or a monument whilst striving to respect its current condition and style as much as possible. Take a look at the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, where you can see how the monument’s style has evolved over the centuries!

The preservation of the Villa Cavrois

Villa Cavrois is regarded as a masterpiece of modernist architecture. It was designed by Robert Mallet-Stevens and completed in 1932. It is a total work of art: even the furniture was designed by the architect!

After the Cavrois family left in 1987, the building suffered numerous acts of vandalism and looting, which caused considerable damage. In 2001, the State acquired the property and, in 2008, entrusted it to the Centre des monuments nationaux to ensure its preservation.

Following an extensive restoration and refurnishing programme, Villa Cavrois opened its doors to the public in 2015. Take a look behind the scenes!

Voltaire’s Château: a place of remembrance and a writer’s home

Voltaire acquired the Ferney estate in 1759. For twenty years, the Enlightenment philosopher lived, worked and wrote there, and entertained intellectuals and prominent figures.

Between 2016 and 2018, the CMN undertook a restoration of the château’s façades and interiors. As a result, nearly 460 objects (furniture, oil paintings, prints, pastels, chandeliers, etc.) were the subject of a collections project, enabling visitors to gain a better understanding of Voltaire’s daily life at his château!

Follow in his footsteps: head for Ferney!

From the Château de Villers-Cotterêts to the International Centre for the French Language

Once the royal residence of François I, then a workhouse and a care home… The Château de Villers-Cotterêts is turning a new page in its history: following a major refurbishment project, it is now home to the Cité internationale de la langue française!

This project, entrusted by Emmanuel Macron to the Centre des monuments nationaux in 2018, has two main strands:

• On the one hand, heritage conservation, with a restoration approach aimed at preserving the original Renaissance features as well as additions from the 17th and 18th centuries. 
• On the other hand, the creation of an extraordinary cultural project, featuring a visitor experience that offers an immersive journey into the heart of the French language, as well as an auditorium and artist-in-residence spaces!

The Cité internationale de la langue française will open to the public on 1 November 2023.