The TotalEnergies Foundation and the Heritage Foundation are joining forces to support the rebirth of Château de Plaisir, mobilizing financial support of 302,000 euros accompanied by a social project.
A few weeks ago, the TotalEnergies Foundation and the Heritage Foundation unveiled the new selection of sites supported as part of their program of integration projects intended for young people. Among them is the Domaine de Plaisir, in Yvelines, whose restoration combines preservation of heritage and support for employment.
At the heart of the project: a heritage site which should allow young job seekers or those without qualifications to acquire technical skills while participating in the restoration of an emblematic historical ensemble of the region. © Lionel Antoni
There TotalEnergies Foundation committed to youthparticularly among the most vulnerable groups. It carries out its actions alongside associative and institutional partners around four priority areas: education and professional integration, road safety, preservation of the climate and coastal and marine environments, as well as cultural dialogue and the promotion of heritage. This commitment is also reflected in the program Action !which offers employees TotalEnergies the possibility of devoting up to three days per year of their working time to missions of general interest. All of these initiatives extend the group’s economic, social and societal contribution in France and are part of its citizen engagement approach.
A 17th century heritage at the heart of a restoration program
The Château de Plaisir, six centuries of heritage history
Classified as a historic site since 1946, the Pleasure Castle is part of an ancient history, the first traces of which date back to the beginning of the 15th century. In 1415, the chatelaine of Neauphle-le-Château cedes his possessions to the count Jacques de Montmortamong which are the lands of Pleasure. The deed of sale already mentions the existence on this site “of a hostel and terraces seated in Plaisir at a place called Les Saussaies“, attesting to the antiquity of the seigniorial settlement.
The building as it appears today, however, was constructed in two main phases. Around 1620, under the reign of Louis XIII, Paul Le Tellierdoctor and advisor to the king, had the central body of the castle built – the Le Tellier family then retained ownership of the estate for almost a century. Then, at the turn of the 18th century, between 1700 and 1711, the estate underwent a new transformation under the impetus of Louis Phélypeaux of Pontchartrain : two wings frame the main building and a chapel completes the architectural ensemble.
Today, the Pleasure Castle found a new cultural vocation since it hosts a media library as well as a music and dance conservatory with municipal influence. Although the dovecote is not accessible to the public, the ensemble formed by the castle and its surroundings, including this building, has been protected as historic monuments since 1961.
A new phase of work
Located within a 50-hectare park, the Domaine de Plaisir brings together a castle and a dovecote dating from the 17th centurytwo buildings which are today the subject of a new phase of work intended to preserve and enhance this heritage ensemble.
The dovecote, selected by the Heritage Mission as part of the Heritage Loto, benefited from a grant of 155,000 euros for its restoration. At the same time, the two foundations support the community in renovation of the Château de Plaisir. The Heritage Foundation is thus mobilizing 100,000 euros thanks to the sponsorship of the TotalEnergies Foundation, attracted by both the heritage interest of the project and its social dimension. To this support is added an additional contribution of more than 47,000 euros, including a collection of donations supplemented by two additional endowments.
In total, 302,000 euros have now been committed to support this operation, illustrating collective mobilization in favor of the preservation and transmission of Ile-de-France heritage. © Lionel Antoni
A heritage project serving integration
The work program focuses in particular on the framework and roofing of the castle, before tackling the facades and joinery. Developments are also planned to improve the reception conditions of the music conservatory installed on the site, which welcomes more than 630 students each year.
Beyond the restoration, the project is based on a integration project coordinated by Activit’Y. More than twenty young people are already participating, with 1,766 hours of integration completed and 6,194 hours scheduled in total. For these participants, the operation constitutes a concrete opportunity to acquire know-how, to promote their first professional experience and to take part in a structuring project for the region.
A local project part of a national dynamic
There restoration of the Domaine de Plaisir figure among the nine projects recently announced by the Heritage Foundation as part of this program. Since 2006, the partnership with the TotalEnergies Foundation has made it possible to support more than 330 restoration projects across Francewith a shared objective:
– transmit artisanal know-how;
– Promote the professional integration of young people in vulnerable situations;
– And, finally, contribute to the cultural and social dynamism of the territories.
