VINCI, Grand Patron of the Chateau of Versailles, will redevelop the Dufour Pavilion

Pavillon Dufour © Didier Saulnier

2 March 2016 - Events - France

VINCI, Grand Patron of the Chateau of Versailles for more than a decade, has undertaken a further project for the Public Establishment of the Museum and National Estate of Versailles. On 2 March 2015, the VINCI Group signed a new sponsorship agreement covering the conversion of the Dufour Pavilion into a visitor centre bringing together the reception area and the full range of visitor services. This new space opened to the public on the 23th of February.

The conversion of the Dufour Pavilion and the Old Wing of the Chateau of Versailles is part of the master plan for the vast "Grand Versailles" restoration and modernisation programme signed in 2003.
The project brings together the reception area and the full range of visitor services, optimise flow management and create a single exit for all tours of the site. Dominique Perrault, who won the project architecture competition initiated in 2011, has re-thought the entire visitor entrance area while retaining the appearance of the buildings (volumes, proportions and dimensions). The project conserves the few remaining heritage elements of this part of the Chateau, which was extensively refurbished in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The work will be carried out under separate works packages. An independent commission selected the companies ahead of time: VINCI Construction France companies Lainé Delau and Degaine were chosen to carry out the structural works and SDEL ITT ( VINCI Energies) to handle the electrical works packages. Explore the project in the video:

VINCI: cultural patron to the Public Establishment of the Museum and National Estate of Versailles

VINCI has been supporting the Château de Versailles heritage restoration programme for more than a decade.

The adventure started back in 2003 when VINCI embarked on restoration of the Hall of Mirrors through skills-based sponsorship harnessing the talent of VINCI employees to serve French architectural heritage. At the time, the Hall of Mirrors was the biggest cultural sponsorship operation ever to be undertaken in France, and VINCI became the first Grand Patron (Grand Mécène) of the Ministry of Culture and Communication.

In 2008, VINCI designed and built a temporary visitor reception centre, a subtle composition of glass and wood, in the courtyard of the Château.

In 2013, two major sponsors of the Château de Versailles, VINCI and the World Monuments Fund, came together around a shared project: the restoration of the Belvédère and its Grotto in Marie-Antoinette's estate.

Today, VINCI is again providing its assistance by sponsoring the Dufour Pavilion visitor centre that opened to the public on the 23rd of February this year.