LE CHATEAU DU THEIL, a Château reborn thanks to crowdfunding
A LITTLE HISTORY
The Château du Theil over the centuries
Located at the gates of Haute Corrèze, halfway between the natural territory of the Puys chain (Unesco classification) and the historic territory of the Dordogne valleys (Unesco classification), in the heart of the city of Ussel, the Château du Theil dominates the town.
The origins of the Castle date back to 1120, it then belonged to Baron Albert de Charlus, Lord of Theil and Laborde, who had it erected in order to make it a stronghold (fortified tower) in order to control the main trade route linking Bordeaux to Lyon. It will belong to the Charlus family until 1468.
The estate was then sold many times and the traces were then erased over time until the end of the XIX Century. It was in 1886 that the bishopric acquired the Château du Theil estate in order to set up a religious college there until 1898.
The Castle will then be transformed into a hospital during the First World War before being bought by Mr. André Chevalier in 1941. Following the occupation and the fire in 1944 of the college of Ussel by the German soldiers, André Chevalier chose to graciously welcome students from 1943 to 1953. The Castle will then belong to his heirs until its abandonment in the 2000s and its repurchase in 2019. Since then, the rehabilitation of this forgotten monument in the city of Ussel has been underway.
THE PROJECT
Born from the idea of sharing and the participatory economy, the project consists of completely renovating the Castle and its surroundings in order to create a complete tourist and ecological domain belonging to the greatest number. Today, the Château reopens its doors and allows everyone to become a lord and actor in its rehabilitation.
Centered on an eco-responsible design, this project will bring together a 4 * hotel with 14 rooms, as well as 7 unusual troglodyte accommodation distributed within its park, an organic and locavore oriented gourmet restaurant, a seminar room, a bar and a space tasting in the 12th century tower.
The park surrounding the Castle (6.5 hectares) will be converted into a landscaped park suitable for events (concerts, shows, weddings, exhibitions, festivals, etc.) and will be embellished with an aquaponics farm, a permaculture vegetable garden, 'an apiary ... in a desire for self-managed food production of the restaurant.
Everything is developed in an eco-responsible way (use of bio-based materials such as fermacell, wood from sustainably managed forests, etc.) and local in its production. 18 jobs will be created upon opening, thus contributing to the territorial dynamic.
MARCH 2020, THE PARTICIPATORY ECONOMY WAS UP TO SAVE THE
CHATEAU
In March 2020, the Château du Theil appealed to donors to save parts of the building that could be from ruin. The meeting was perfectly successful as 228 contributions from 10 countries exceeded the target that had been set. Without delay, the work was launched and the mobilization continued in the private sphere of the initiators of the project, but also in the territory of Haute Corrèze. The obvious sharing of enthusiasm boosted the work.
2021, SHARE THE DREAM: BECOME A CHATELAIN DU THEIL
The objective of this second crowdfunding and investment campaign is to increase the sharing of the tourism, heritage and cultural project through the direct participation of contributors. The transition from the role of heritage rescuer to that of heritage financier-investor has never been easier given modern mediation tools such as that of Dartagnans and tax incentives.
- Become a shareholder of the company
- Benefit from a tax advantage *
- Attach your name to that of the building and its rebirth
- Finally, travel free for life in the area **
In the "after world" it is easy to participate in the renovation of a Chateau. As easy as opening an A booklet, and much more rewarding and useful for the local economy.
(*) the "Madelin Law" scheme, renewed for 2021, allows a tax reduction of 25% of the contribution. Concretely, if you can make this tax mechanism work, the subscription of 100 euros will earn you a tax reduction of 25 euros.
(**) access and free movement in the common areas of the domain and more particularly the landscaped park
The “Château du Theil” project, an original and innovative concept, plans to juxtapose tourist accommodation (small 4 * hotel with 14 rooms, lodges in unusual housing), catering (restaurant oriented “organic” and “locavore”, services for groups and companies (seminar and reception rooms), production of food resources (organic orchard and vegetable garden), an aquaponics farm (complementary fish farming and market gardening concepts), cultural events (in the future green theater and the park of the Castle). energy and water.
With an accommodation capacity of 56 people, the versatility of the estate will make it possible to stay on site during a visit to Correze but also to organize all types of events such as weddings, seminars, organized trips.
Make the most of your visit by exploring the 6.5 hectare landscaped park surrounding the Castle at your leisure. In the heart of the city, these gardens will allow you to peacefully discover many areas, flower-filled areas, wooded areas, green amphitheater, apiary, meadow ...
On-site creation of a gourmet restaurant mainly oriented towards a concept of self-production and processing of foodstuffs from the Château. A production mainly of fruits, vegetables but also fish raised in the aquaponic greenhouse.
A visit to the greenhouse will allow you to experience a unique moment of education and discovery of the foods prepared in the restaurant.
Crowdfunding actions and structural works have given rise to a structuring of the piloting of the project between the initiators, voluntary contributors, subcontractors, aid, actions and levers of local authorities ... This local mobilization has generated a high attendance of Ussellois during European Heritage Days (nearly 750 visitors thus (re) -discovered the Château on this occasion).
This is how all the actions carried out in 2020 made the project more credible and familiarized the partners with the originality of a participatory mode, now followed by a community that grows daily.
WHAT WILL THIS CAMPAIGN BE USED FOR ?
Currently undergoing renovation, the fundraising will allow the work on the Château that has already been undertaken to continue. Every day, for almost 2 years now, the Château has come back to life. A first phase of deconstruction, long and difficult, now gives way to renovation work. Structural work, roofing, facades and joinery have already started. We invite you to follow the progress of the work carried out in the Youtube videos.
In the event of default by the Château operating company, each person's liability is limited to their contribution. The possible tax reduction is then not called into question.
Possibility of subsequent resale of the shares acquired (not before 5 years if use of the tax incentive system).
The possible distribution of profits made by the operating company may be paid or increase the value of the Château shares.
The three basic partners: Bruno (the former…), a pure product of the “world before” in terms of economic and social involvement, creator and operator of several ecology-oriented businesses, in particular on food and natural life or organic (grocery store, restaurant, building materials, hairdressing salon, etc.). Benoit, the founder and Francis the first partner, of the next generation (the "world after") who bring their dexterity in the concept of shared economy and who drive the SAS.
The SAS is also made up of more than 40 players and already Châtelains regularly volunteering in rehabilitation, coming from these two generations, determined to rethink economic construction around new paradigms.
How did you come to this?
"In the 'world before' I was convinced that the success of a life was measured by the dimension of the companies created or by that of a professional career. Always more ; always faster; always bigger; always new ... I was always willing to take on a new entrepreneurial responsibility. "
"Over time, the erosion of my certainties has come under the pressure of continuous effort, under the pressure of daily performances that have become injunctions. As for a Castle: cracks in the walls and cracks in my entrepreneurial certainties! Some certainties have definitely fallen like tiles; and sometimes the weariness crept in, invasively. I wanted to rely on other life values: respect, nature, sharing. Want to travel around the world ... by boat, motorbike ... in short, the desire to suspend time, to stop the gears ... "
And the Château du Theil?
“Being originally from Ussel, the Château du Theil was part of the invisible landscape of my daily life. It means that I knew where he was; nothing more ! "
“I knew it was on sale a long time ago and gambled a lot. But my entrepreneurial dream quickly ended for lack of resources. Like others before me, in rage, I had to give up the dream of saving him. "
“Yet that impossible dream was shattered when the two young people of the generation after (Francis and Benoit) took up the challenge. In their corner they have scaffolded a rehabilitation of the Castle based on the idea of a project with multiple activities and economically viable. For the financing I was waiting for them at the turn, but their answer was simple and disconcerting: "if we hold on to this project, we share it with the people, full of people who will become co-owners, who will bring their faith in the future and who will satisfy , they too, their “Castle dream”. ”.
" I believed it ; and almost on a stroke of madness we bought the Château du Theil for 160,000 euros. Today, the various actions carried out, in particular by sharing rehabilitation videos, have made it possible to remove and overcome the psychological barrier of one million euros "
"Now, with them and many others, I am on the path to dreaming and more and more of us are on the same path. These young ones ; my friends and acquaintances; their friends ; the friends of our friends; Dartagnans; then more and more partners. I have confidence: we will succeed, our Château project! "
With solid foundations dating back to the 12th century, this multi-faceted place through the ages may have touched you from near or far.
This project with a strong eco-responsible conviction, will help to revitalize and diversify the tourist offer of this region dear to us. An enchanting place accessible to all.
Your involvement is now necessary to see such a project succeed in less than 2 years.
We are counting on you, and hope to see you very soon at the Château, to write the rest of its story.
Many thanks for your contribution!
