In 2022, when she was France's minister of culture, Roselyne Bachelot slammed her fist on the table. "We no longer know how to build things solidly!" she exclaimed. She was fuming about the repeated fortunes that must be spent to renovate museums or performance halls. Now, several of Paris's cultural giants face staggering renovation costs. Yet these costs signal an exciting shift for France's cultural heritage.
The figures are dizzying: €469 million for the Centre Pompidou, which will close in September for five years. The Grand Palais reopens on June 6 after €500 million in renovations. The Louvre is set to break the bank with €900 million. Versailles? €588 million between 2003 and 2032. Add another €556 million by 2036 for the Garnier and Bastille operas. In January, the Court of Accounts, France's public audit office, also flagged the €638 million spent on renovating the Maison de la Radio, the headquarters of Radio France.
The list could go on. One could mention the 87 cathedrals owned by the state, including the one in Nantes, which reopens in September after a fire and a €32 million restoration. Or the Clairvaux Abbey, in the Champagne region, where the Ministry of Culture has "invested" €60 million in the grand cloister. Costs in the heritage sector escalate quickly, but the state must keep up and lead by example to remain credible. For decades, when it was the owner, the state paid the bills alone. But it can no longer do so. Needs have grown alongside costs. More recent buildings are more fragile. The hundreds built in the 1980s and 1990s during the era when François Mitterand was president now require care.
The darling of the recovery plan
A new policy is taking shape. A handful of prestigious institutions must now contribute financially. The division of labor is revealing. The state pays for the unglamorous and less visible parts (asbestos removal, compliance, waterproofing), while the institution covers the more prestigious elements (public spaces, artistic programming) through ticket sales, sponsors, advertising banners, and by leveraging its brand.
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