The Château de Jossigny is transformed into a third place to open to all

The Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN) has decided to revitalize some of its historical monuments, notably castles, by transforming them into"third places". The objective is to reinforce the contribution of the monuments to the development of the territories by setting up activities that promote links between local actors, sharing, collective initiatives and the creation of economic, social and educational value.

For information or reminder, the third places are spaces that allow to gather and practice in all conviviality of the activities in common. They are places that allow people to "do things together" in a collaborative way.

For the CMN, the interest of these third places also lies in the diffusion and access to culture for the local public. To carry out this experimentation, the CMN has called upon Plateau Urbain, a transitional urban planning cooperative, to assist it in setting up these third places on several sites and to reinvent the practices and uses of heritage.

The first third place to see the light of day is the Château de Jossigny. This 18th century castle, usually inaccessible, was chosen because of its capacity to accommodate new uses in the short term. 12 project leaders were selected from 75 applicants to diversify the uses of the castle and attract new audiences, more distant from cultural visits.

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Most of the selected projects are related to art,crafts and creation (tapestry, dyeing, mosaic, straw marquetry, jewelry, fashion, etc.) and have a strong sensitivity to the environment, resulting in a focus on materials, techniques and circuits. A cultural mediation structure focused on archaeology has also been created, as well as workshops for dried flowers, vegetable dyeing and the creation of decorations. The castle of Jossigny is now accessible through the organization of these craft and cultural activities. Thus, we kill two birds with one stone, we offer ourselves beautiful animations while discovering the French heritage.

Note that a second third place will open in the castle of Châteaudun in spring 2023. Project leaders can apply until February 28, 2023 on the Plateau Urbain platform to occupy the proposed spaces, including the cider house and its gardens, part of the former kitchens of the castle, and two rooms in the north wing dedicated to the circular economy.