Nicknamed "My pleasure" by François 1st, its builder, the castle of Villers-Cotterêts (Aisne) has regained its superb. The time is now for the finishing touches in the royal home and the implementation of the scenography. One of the favorite kings of the French would probably not have imagined that his courtyard of the Jeu de Paume would one day be covered with a glass roof of 618 m2 overlooking it at 15 m high, that an auditorium of 250 seats would be arranged, or that a hundred words among which "liberty", "Alexandre Dumas", "carabistouille", "poetry" would compose his lexical sky.
Because at the end of the summer, this castle, which many feared would end up in ruins and which was really in poor condition, will house the future Cité internationale de la langue française. A sign of destiny in the place where was signed in August 1539 the famous ordinance imposing the use of French, instead of Latin, in the drafting of judicial and notarial acts.
"It replaces a medieval castle, commented this Friday, May 12, Paul Rondin, its director, during a site visit for the press. The king had made this choice to indulge in his favorite pastime, hunting in the forest of Retz which he bordered. »
He continues: "He would be delighted to see that his castle is saved, that his ordinance is still active. As he was a reformer, he would have liked the glass roof and the important digital device put at the service of visitors. This shows the vitality of the French language. »
Magic library, digital devices and sculptures
Unpleasant surprises on this €209 million project covering 10,000 m2, tension on materials and pandemic have led to delays in the project launched by President Emmanuel Macron in March 2018.
The time is now for finishes as, for example, on the 1st floor which will host the permanent collections. The 15 rooms spread over 1,200 m2 evoke the history of the castle inscribed in its territory and develop three themes: French as the language of the world, French as a language that evolves and transforms and French in its relationship to power.
Already the volumes and ceilings with the original beams impose: "We will invite visitors to a real journey," says Virginie Sassier-Lacour, deputy director of the Centre des monuments nationaux in charge of the visit of the city. It is a language that is spoken by 323 million speakers worldwide. »
Future permanent exhibition route in Villers-Cotterêts. DR
"The exhibition combines some sixty individual and collective digital devices with more classical objects such as sculptures and books," she explains. The magic library, the departure board on the huge glass panel or the bright spots in the regional languages room will be spectacular. The visit will end with the chapel, which has recovered its Renaissance volumes and where the library of François 1st will be evoked. »
On the ground floor, 400 m2 will be devoted to temporary exhibitions. The other particularities of the Cité internationale de la langue française are revealed on the second floor which will host the offices, a conviviality space, twelve workshops for residencies for artists, researchers, entrepreneurs from around the world. A call for projects is, for example, launched to implement an artistic residency dedicated to typographic creation.
"A royal castle returned to the Republic"
Once the city is open, it will be possible to cross the Uffizi courtyard and the Jeu de Paume courtyard for free, which will become a public square, to go to the castle park and stroll at leisure in the forest of Retz: "It is a royal castle that is returned to the Republic", added Paul Rondin. They will also be able to access the king's staircase free of charge and admire the magnificent carved caissons of salamanders, emblem so dear to François 1st.
On their left, the room "One castle, one territory" will be free of charge. "It will be a unique cultural facility in the world. The scientific and linguistic intellectual life will be rich," adds Marie Lavandier, president of the Centre des monuments nationaux.
Some 200,000 visitors are expected per year. This Saturday, May 13, in the park, a "Castle Festival" is organized by the society of friends of the castle of Villers-Cotterêts to celebrate its rebirth with, in particular, shows and animations prepared by the students of schools, colleges and high schools and their teachers.