Fort Boyard, a fortress that became the setting of a French television competition of the same name, is at risk from the effects of time and is scheduled to be repaired by 2028, AFP reported, citing a statement from authorities in the Charente-Maritime department in western France. .
The administration is conducting a public consultation on the restoration of the facility.
This 19th-century monument, located in the Atlantic Ocean between the islands of Oleron and Aix, is “doomed to ruin” because of the lack of protection from the wavessays a press release of the administration, which has been managing the site since 1989.
“Studies show that Fort Boyar will inevitably collapse if structures are not built to provide protection from sea currents and turbulence“, said the distributed message quoted by AFP.
The work, which is scheduled to take place between 2025 and late 2027/early 2028/, will include the restoration of some of the previously existing defenses using concrete to resemble the original granite. At the end of the project the fort should be accessible to the publicexplained Sylvie Marsili from the department’s management, in a video published by the local authority.
The estimated budget is 36 million euros without taxes, and the authorities believe that 44 million euros will be needed for the planned restoration activities, notes AFP.
The Department intends to is seeking funding for the project from the European Union, the French government and the authorities of the New Aquitaine region, of which the Charente-Maritime department is also a part. In the fall of 2024, a call will also be made to sponsors to support the initiative.
Raised between 1803 and 1857 for army purposes, the fortress was converted into a prison. Gradually, however, “For Boyar” began to crumble before entering the list of historical monuments. In 1988, the facility was acquired by a television show producerand the following year – sold to the local government for a symbolic sum of one French franc, with the department responsible for maintenance, BTA recalled, referring to AFP.
The television “For Boyard” competition began broadcasting in France in 1990, with over 1,500 episodes filmed. They are displayed in about 40 countries around the world, which turns the fortress into an attraction. In Bulgaria, the show also had a significant audience.
Throughout the year, thousands of people come to the fortress measuring 68 by 31 meters to admire its oval silhouette. It can only be reached by boat or helicopter.
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