A unique gift for the next 150 shares purchased (from November 11, 2022).
In this campaign's last straight line, and in order to boost mobilization, we are offering to the first 150 people to get a share, a unique gift: a complete visit of the interior of the castle in preview!
Exclusive visit: a preview of the interior of the castle
During this ultra-private visit in the company of the castle's caretaker, you will discover the interior of the castle before anyone else.
In small groups, we will follow the footsteps of the Poilus and the Count Charles de Boulogne. From the graffiti left by the French soldiers in the underground passages to the panoramic roof of the château and the beautiful staircase in the grand salon, the château will no longer hold any secrets for you...
Nearly 6,500 people from 64 different countries have already joined the adventure to save and enhance this exceptional place! What if you took part in it as well?
**Last phase of the campaign: key dates**
In order to allow all those who have received a voucher (box) to transform it into a SAS Châteaux Merveilles action, the campaign will remain open until November 18th, 2022.
After this deadline of November 18th, 2022, the value of the voucher it represents will be transformed into an anonymous donation and the beneficiary of the voucher will not have the associated share.
For logistical reasons, the purchase of vouchers (boxes) for a third party will only be possible until October 11th 2022.
Great news! Our wonderful collective adventure is entering a new phase and we can plan to open the castle in 2023.
Thanks to the incredible mobilization around this project, we are about to finalize the purchase of the estate in its entirety and to begin the phase of progressive restoration and securing of the castle for an opening to the public scheduled in 2023.
Securing and progressive restoration will be done in stages and prioritizing the most dangerous and fragile parts of the site.
Step 1: securing the roof of the current castle. This key step will allow us to secure entry to the castle and therefore allow interior visits from next season.
Step 2: securing the perimeter of the old castle and the music room. This will allow us to open public access to the terrace overlooking the old castle.
Step 3: securing the old chapel. The chapel being the oldest part of the estate is also the most dangerous. We would like to allow visitors to be able to discover these magnificent remains and walk safely through the historic heart of the Château de Boulogne.
Step 4: securing the high tower.
The high tower, a real strategic place during the First World War, is the part of the castle that suffered the most during the bombardments. All that remains today are its foundations and a turret whose structure is unstable. Securing the high tower would initially allow access and discovery of the engravings of the magnificent hunting scenes at its heart.
From left to right: engravings of hunting scenes in the heart of the high tower, the remains of the old chapel, the high tower seen from the wood.
The domaine de Boulogne, its castle, its marvels, its unique architectural style and its history lend themselves perfectly to the creation of a guided tour. The site contains hundreds of fascinating anecdotes and details!
You have already been several hundred privileged people to discover the fascinating places and anecdotes around the castle when it opened during the European Heritage Days.
This event gave us a foretaste of the potential of the site and we have only one desire: to continue to discover the treasures of the castle and organize the first voluntary work camps!
Route and different points of interest prepared with the help of the castle caretaker for the European Heritage Days
A guided tour with the caretaker during European Heritage Days.
At Dartagnans, we have been saving French castles since 2018 with our unique concept in the world of collective purchasing. In 3 years, we have been able to gather an international community of 40,000 shareholders and co-lords, save and open to the public 3 historical monuments and invest more than 6.5 million euros in our restoration and entertainment programs.
After the success stories of the campaigns of the Mothe Chandeniers, l’Ebaupinay, and Vibrac, a new adventure awaits all of those dreaming of owning a part of a French castle.
For 59 €, you can become co-châtelain (co-lord) of this fascinating castle at the gates of Paris!
Stunning building, haunted by the ghosts of the Great War, nestled in the hollow of a forest which has not yet revealed all its secrets: the Château de Boulogne-la-Grasse invites you to dive into the heart of its mystery…
An architectural gem
The Château de Boulogne is a castle like no other. Straight out of the imagination of the Count of Boulogne, this monument is a real architectural gem. At the end of the 19th century, Charles de Boulogne, a wealthy Belgian landowner, bought the title of Count. He built in Boulogne-la-Grasse, on the remains of the castle of the Lancry family, a colorful fortress. In this one-of-a-kind phantasmagoria, the profane and the sacred, images and ideals, esotericism and history mingle together in a surprisingly harmonious way...
Façade of the castle revealing the sculptures representing the Count of Boulogne and the master of the works
The reinforced concrete frame allowed the Count to build a solid structure within short deadlines, and above all to give free rein to his imagination from sculptures of saints, gargoyle masks, Gothic inspirations, Roman motifs and Arthurian references to Latin inscriptions.
The facades are full of medieval and esoteric motifs
A fairy tale castle already famous in France before World War I
This castle at the gates of Paris, was true tourist attraction before WWI, the many postcards published at the time are a precious testimony to the state of the castle in its heyday.
The castle even received praise from the national press. The famous and as of today almost bicentennial French newspaper, Le Figaro, applauded the fantasy of this already unique castle in its October 24, 1908 edition: "Gothic and Romanesque, Devil and Saints, legend and history, Church and chivalry, fraternize in stone. Castle of the marvelous mystical dreamed of in the enchantment of the ages of faith, which, with his magical outline, the brilliant sculptor awakens from the depths of centuries ”.
Historical postcards sent before WWI. Figaro press article October 24th 1908
A few months after the start of the Great War and after the first victory of the Marne, the front moved to the Oise department. The castle, whose high tower offered, at the time, a breathtaking view as far as Amiens (40km), was requisitioned by the French army.
The music room of the Château de Boulogne served as a dormitory for the French soldiers during their stay at the castle. The carvings on the walls and on the floor are still visible today.
Offering a situation close enough to the front line and far enough away not to be directly threatened, it became a stationing and observation camp for the French soldiers. In this unusual place, for four years, hundreds of men trained, wrote, ate, slept, and above all tried to survive this incredibly deadly conflict.
French soldiers during the requisition of the castle by the French Army
Today, we still have photos and above all, the "graffiti" and the signatures of the soldiers of the time left in the underground passages around the castle as a precious historical witness.
After the invasion of Belgium in 1914, the soldiers received a visit from Marshal Joffre, the French President at the time, Poincaré, and King Albert I.
A plaque commemorates this visit at the entrance of the castle.
Marshal Joffre, King Albert I and President Poincaré whose visit was commemorated by a plaque in front of the castle entrance in 1990
And although the then-President didn't seem to have a soft spot for the Château's eccentricities, the French soldiers seemed to have enjoyed their stay; posterity has left us some beautiful photos of these men, posing among the sculptures in the park.
Soldier imitating the famous chimera, copy of a statue of Notre Dame de Paris
In the spring of 1918, Germany only had a few months left to triumph over the Allies before the arrival of the American expeditionary corps. The landing of these millions of members of the Triple Entente would indeed put an end to the German hopes. The German high command launched a large number of brutal attacks and Boulogne-la-Grasse was not spared. The village and its castle were bombed and taken by the German army during the fighting around Montdidier, on March 27 and 28, 1918.
The French cannons in turn strafed the castle, which the French soldiers took back on August 10, 1918, a few months before the end of the combat.
These six months of intensive fighting left indelible marks. It took nearly twenty-five years to rebuild parts of the castle and its outbuildings. The scars of the Great War are still tremendous. For its sacrifice during the war, the entire commune of Boulogne-la-Grasse received the Croix de Guerre (War Cross) on February 21, 1921.
The ravages of war on the castle (private collection Charles Riboulet)
By taking part in the adventure as a shareholder and co-lord, each participant contributes directly to the development of the project, to the rescue of the château and to the growth of the company.
The project carried out by Dartagnans for the Château de Boulogne for the years to come aims at safeguarding its heritage by developing a unique tourist offer around the château. Once the castle purchased, the priority will be securing it, creating a guided visit itinerary and then building eco-lodges in the vast park in order to offer an unusual accommodation offer near Paris.
The domain of Boulogne, its castle, its wonders, lend themselves perfectly to the creation of a guided tour and its unique architectural style will attract visitors from all over the world.
The interior of the castle (approx. 800m2), meanwhile, represents a fabulous setting for organizing exhibitions, openings, escape games, tastings or privatizations...
This triptych visits, private events and accommodation is the model on which we bet on all our monuments and which allows us to finance major restoration programs.
Proceeds will be reinvested to preserve and restore the castle.
The ravages of time and the shells of the Great War have left significant marks on the building of the castle and its outbuildings. The main areas of restoration are the following :
See business plan at the bottom of the page.
The magical castle of Boulogne, only one hour from Paris, is now at your fingertips!
With your investment of 59 euros, you will become a co-chatelain (co-lord) shareholder holding one part (one share) of the SAS Châteaux Merveilles, future 100% owner of Château de Boulogne.
You will get :
• lifetime free entry for castle visits
• ability to participate in volunteer workcamps
• access to the private online co-lord community
• one vote per share at the General Assemblies during which decisions concerning the future of the castle are taken
• a tax exemption of 25% of your investment (for French residents only, details)
Like several tens of thousands of people in the world, you join the largest community in the world of castle saviors.
It is you, the co-châtelains (co-lords), who constitute the cornerstone of the collective purchasing projects. Through the events and volunteer workcamps that we will organize, the whole project will be put in place.
Only 1 hour from Paris, this is an opportunity for those who can and want to participate even more directly in the restoration and preservation of our heritage. And it is also a fantastic human adventure, as confirmed to us each time by the enthusiasts of the Châteaux de la Mothe Chandeniers, Ebaupinay and Vibrac.
Would you like to offer a share to a loved one? It's possible ! In this case, you need to acquire a box containing a numbered card, which will allow you to pre-pay the share. Your loved one (or yourself, if you wish to offer yourself a box), can become a holder of a share without paying a euro by using the numbered card.
This simple and secure means allows you to make your loved ones true French castle owner and co-châtelains.
Each investor benefits from the privileges of the co-châtelains as detailed below. And of course, acquiring more shares (whether by buying shares or receiving boxes) can accelerate the castle's restoration and economic development projects.
The IR PME scheme allows taxpayers to reduce their income tax by 18% of the amounts invested in the capital of French and European SMEs. The amount of the tax reduction is calculated on the basis of payments made during a calendar year according to the following conditions: ✓ Subscription to the initial capital or to a capital increase of an unlisted SME (BOI-IR-RICI-90-10-20) before December 31 of the current tax year ✓ Conservation by the taxpayer of the securities acquired for at least 5 years as of its subscription. ✓ Be a natural person whose tax residence is located in France ✓ Carry over his investment on the 2042 C declaration. What amounts?
> 50 000 € of investment for a single person, that is a maximum tax reduction of 12 500 €. > 100,000 for married or civil union couples (joint taxation) for a maximum tax reduction of €25,000
Please note: The rate of the tax reduction has changed between January 1, 2020 and May 9, 2021.
Please note that the tax benefits linked to the IR-PME scheme are not compatible with those linked to an investment via PEA or PEA-PME.
Please note: options purchased for a third party are not eligible for IR tax exemption.
Good to know: Parents can defund their minor child's share.
To find out more about the IR PME scheme, you can consult the Taxation 1. What are the tax advantages of the investment? of the FAQ.
Please note: This page is only an indicative tool and cannot be used as a substitute for the official (up-to-date) texts. The taxpayer remains solely responsible for his or her tax return. The income tax return, with the tax authorities, depends on the financial situation of each subscriber. The tax reduction applicable to him/her is also based on a global reading of his/her assets. As Dartagnans is not a tax consulting firm, we recommend that you contact the appropriate institutions for these issues.
Where can I find my tax receipt?
Your tax receipt corresponds to the subscription form that you received by email at the time of your investment. You can find your subscription form in your account at www.dartagnans-invest.fr in the "my shares" section.
The project for the economic development and restoration of the Château de Boulogne will be carried out in successive stages. Each reached milestone will unlock the realization of additional elements of development and/or restoration, in order to tightly control the project's budget.
The financial model of the project is centered around three themes: unique visits, atypical accommodations and private bookings.
Tours will complement the visitors' free wanderings in the park, on the edge of the adjoining forest. Everyone will be able to discover the many references and winks left by the fantastic Charles de Boulogne and the soldiers of the First World War who stayed there.
The redevelopment of the interiors of the castle will also offer visitors the possibility to discover even more unexpected treasures of the Château de Boulogne.
Exemples d'installation d'éco-lodges
The installation in the forest of eco-lodges, responsible and autonomous housing, will offer exceptional accommodations one hour from Paris. Nature lovers will have the opportunity to discover the peaceful neighboring forest and the Château from another intimate angle.
Finally, the installation of equipment (electricity, parking, pipes) to organize events and celebrations is also to be funded. These elements will transform the Château into a place suitable for private events as well as end-of-year celebrations, tributes from the Great War, etc.
To make the domain of the Château de Boulogne a unique and economically profitable tourist site is the project we are proposing to you today, as we have done for the châteaux of Vibrac, Ebaupinay and La Mothe Chandeniers.
By becoming a shareholder of the Château de Boulogne, you are investing in an extraordinary project that combines a passion for heritage preservation and economic development.
Dartagnans is the leading French startup in innovative financing dedicated to the preservation of heritage through: collective purchases of castles, participatory financing and its online ticketing service Dartngo, organizer of the national event La Nuit des Châteaux.
Dartagnans and collective purchasing is:
Questions about how the investment works?
Can I invest for a relative? For my minor child ? What do I gain by investing in this project? What does being an investor mean for me and what are the risks? We answer all the most frequently asked questions in the document below:
What is a box ?
A box is a box that allows you to offer a future share to someone or to yourself. It is the physical object through which you can securely transmit a company share purchase order.
A company share purchase warrant is a means of conveying a claim subscribed by an investor in a company's project to a third party (or to yourself) in order to enable him to invest in the company.
In order to secure this transfer, Dartagnans creates boxes containing unique numbered cards and a code system that allows the offerer to safely transfer a share to a beneficiary. The beneficiary will have to complete the steps indicated in the box in order to become a full-fledged co-chairman, but will not have to pay anything.
What is the deadline for the registration of boxes?
The box holder can register it until the end of the campaign. The deadline is therefore the date of the end of the campaign. After this date, the value of the option it represents will be transformed into an anonymous donation in favor of the castle company and the beneficiary of the option/box will not benefit from the associated share and will therefore not be a shareholder. The value of the share option and the associated delivery costs will not be refunded to the buyer.
Video Tutorials
While waiting to receive your box and in case you want to offer it, you can download the gift voucher using the following link https://drive.google.com/file/...
Other questions
Contact our team via the contact form, choosing "Château de Boulogne" as a theme, we will answer you as soon as possible.
Thank you all for your support!
Many thanks to Antoine Vitek of Culturez-vous for his contribution with his magnificent shots of the castle and article about our project.
Warning: investments present a significant risk of partial or total loss of capital as well as a risk of illiquidity.
If you have any questions about the risks associated with investing, you can read the paragraph dedicated to the FAQ: Being an investor, what does it mean for me and what are the risks?
