The « Fondation du Patrimoine » is an organization that was created in 1997 thanks to the joint efforts  of the French president and the minister for culture.  The organization has 4 main missions:

-          Increase public awareness to the importance of preserving the heritage of French country houses
-          Identify the buildings and sites threatened with destruction
-          Encourage mutual help in favor of promoting French heritage, with the aim of seeking funds from both private and public sources
-          Participate in the implementation of restoration programs

The foundation acts in favour of non protected sites which are generally more in peril than monuments already labelled or listed by  French heritage institutions.

The organisation does not only help properties but also outbuildings such as traditional bread ovens, barns, dovecotes, cottages, etc… In fact, more than 1000 sites a year are granted the foundation’s label. The help comes in the shape of fiscal discounts (partial or total depending on the condition of the building) if you start renovation works on the listed  site. Moreover, if your taxed amount is lower than 1300 Euro, the foundation can also send you some grants to help you with the renovation costs.
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The foundation receives its funding from 2 main sources:

-          Corporate sponsorship
-          State  subsidies
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Since its creation, 9043 projects have benefited from this label. However, these grants are not accessible to everyone. In fact, you will have to respect 3 main conditions in order to apply for this grant:

-          The site must be interesting in terms of heritage (must have a history and particular architecture)
-          The fiscal discounts won’t be granted if your renovation project lacks ambition
-          Visibility of most of the buildings from the road
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The foundation is having real boom as the fund total reached 8.3 million euros last year which represents a rise of 26% compared to the amount collected in 2009. Therefore we can expect more and more will be done to help private owners restore their monuments.
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The actions of the “Foundation du Patrimoine”, does not limit itself to private French properties but also helps monuments that are already protected  who urgently need help. For instance, the foundation launched an international appeal to receive funds to restore the last house of Napoleon Bonaparte on Sainte Helene, which had been considerably affected by terrible weather conditions.

This example perfectly illustrates the leitmotiv of the organization, which aims to make us understand that cultural heritage is the responsibility of all: associations, businesses, households, and governments.
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The organisation does not want to be labeled as old fashioned and nostalgic. On the contrary, this recent foundation is constantly looking ahead in order to offer a new life to all these monuments in peril. More than restoring, it’s about bringing back to life!
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Our old monuments mustn’t be considered  a burden; indeed the foundation sees the wealth and uniqueness of each and every one of these sites. And it’s a real lesson for all of us to change our opinion on old monuments.

You can find more information about la fondation du Patrimoine’s action on www.fondation-patrimoine.org