<strong>Beautiful ruins</strong>: La Mothe-Chandeniers is a romantic French château straight out of a storybook -- but it's been abandoned for a while.
Beautiful ruins: La Mothe-Chandeniers is a romantic French château straight out of a storybook -- but it's been abandoned for a while.
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<strong>Change of fortune: </strong>But this picture-perfect castle has had a recent change of fortune -- more than 9,000 people across the world have donated money to save the castle from decline.
Change of fortune: But this picture-perfect castle has had a recent change of fortune -- more than 9,000 people across the world have donated money to save the castle from decline.
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<strong>Preserving the past: </strong>A <a href="https://dartagnans.fr/fr/projects/et-si-on-adoptait-un-chateau/campaign" target="_blank" target="_blank">crowdfunding campaign</a> was set up at the end of October 2017 to raise money to preserve and save the historic building.
Preserving the past: A crowdfunding campaign was set up at the end of October 2017 to raise money to preserve and save the historic building.
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<strong>Group effort:</strong> Crowdfunding site <a href="https://dartagnans.fr/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Dartagnans.fr </a>and the association <a href="https://www.adopteunchateau.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Adopte un château</a> collaborated on the project -- alongside local group <a href="https://en-gb.facebook.com/SauvonsLeChateauDeLaMotheChandeniers/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Sauvons le ch</a><a href="https://www.adopteunchateau.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank">â</a><a href="https://en-gb.facebook.com/SauvonsLeChateauDeLaMotheChandeniers/" target="_blank" target="_blank">teau de la Mothe-Chandeniers.</a>
Group effort: Crowdfunding site Dartagnans.fr and the association Adopte un château collaborated on the project -- alongside local group Sauvons le château de la Mothe-Chandeniers.
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<strong>Innovative ideas: </strong>"Our aim was to think of a new way of getting people into cultural preservation," Dartagnans founder Romain Delaume tells CNN Travel.
Innovative ideas: "Our aim was to think of a new way of getting people into cultural preservation," Dartagnans founder Romain Delaume tells CNN Travel.
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<strong>Wordwide success:</strong> "We launched the project as a new concept," says Delaume. Over 9,000 people have become involved with the campaign so far -- and nearly $900,000 has been raised -- and counting.
Wordwide success: "We launched the project as a new concept," says Delaume. Over 9,000 people have become involved with the campaign so far -- and nearly $900,000 has been raised -- and counting.
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<strong>Future steps:</strong> The supervisors start assessing what repairs need to be done in the coming weeks. "The next step is to finally get the key of the castle and then organize the entry of thousands of co-owners," says Delaume.
Future steps: The supervisors start assessing what repairs need to be done in the coming weeks. "The next step is to finally get the key of the castle and then organize the entry of thousands of co-owners," says Delaume.
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<strong>The power of nature:</strong> The renovators will do their best to bring the castle back to its original beauty -- but they acknowledge nature has started to reclaim the château in irreversible -- but beautiful -- ways.
The power of nature: The renovators will do their best to bring the castle back to its original beauty -- but they acknowledge nature has started to reclaim the château in irreversible -- but beautiful -- ways.
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<strong>Reclaiming history:</strong> "We think the way nature has taken over is part of its history," says Delaume. The developers plan to work with the natural elements to ensure a revamped castle for all.
Reclaiming history: "We think the way nature has taken over is part of its history," says Delaume. The developers plan to work with the natural elements to ensure a revamped castle for all.
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<strong>Tourist destination: </strong>As work gets underway, current estimates pinpoint late 2018 or early 2019 as possible dates for the castle's reopening as a tourist destination.
Tourist destination: As work gets underway, current estimates pinpoint late 2018 or early 2019 as possible dates for the castle's reopening as a tourist destination.
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