Château de Médavy, One Year After the Fire (Before and After)

On the night of September 24 to 25, 2025, a fire ravaged a large part of the château de Médavy, in the Orne, about two and a half hours west of Paris. One year later, So Châteaux gained exclusive access to the inside of the château. Guided by its owner, Jean-Louis Charon, we were able to walk through the damaged rooms, from the pavillon de l'escalier to the pavillon des Douves, and record video and photographs of their current state. We had already recorded video at Médavy before the fire, which now lets us show the same rooms before and after.

BeforeAfter

At a glance

• Date: night of September 24 to 25, 2025
• Duration: the fire broke out around 9:30 PM and wasn't brought under control until around 5:00 AM
• Resources deployed: 90 firefighters, with the prefect of the Orne and the president of the department on site
• Extent of the damage: about two-thirds of the château affected, up to three-quarters on the third floor, with the attic and roof destroyed
• Flare-up: a week later, a smoldering ember under a floor reignited, but was quickly brought under control
• Estimated cost of restoration: 14 million euros
• Reopening: gradual, from summer 2027 to 2029

An 18th-century château, protected as a historic monument

The château de Médavy was built between 1700 and 1723, on the foundations of a medieval fortress. It was expanded and embellished in the 18th century. It has been protected as a historic monument since 1926, with its facades, roofs, and two towers protected since 1989. Jean-Louis Charon and his wife have owned it since 2004, and had largely restored it before the fire.

A night of firefighting

The fire spread mainly through the attic. To put it out, firefighters cut through the roof to run hoses, supplied with water from the moat. The water level in the moat dropped by about three feet between the day before and the day after the fire.

Jean-Louis Charon makes a point useful to all owners: insurers look closely at the water sources available around a property. At Médavy, in Normandy, the moat had been factored in, and it helped save a large part of the château.

A week after the firefighters' response, the fire flared up again between the dining room floor and the adjoining room, where it had been smoldering. This second outbreak, very localized, was quickly brought under control.

The stairwell pavilion, the hardest-hit part

BeforeAfter

The stairwell pavilion and the owners' private apartment were completely destroyed. Of the grand staircase, only the stone remains. Everything that wasn't stone burned.

BeforeAfter

Before any protective measures could be taken, the areas at risk of collapse had to be secured, at the request of the experts, insurers, and gendarmerie. An "umbrella", a large metal structure that shields the remains of the staircase from the weather, could only be installed at the end of January, about four months after the fire.

The rubble is being cleared very gradually, so as not to destroy any evidence useful to the investigation into the fire's origin.

Works lost for good

BeforeAfter

In the dining room and the grand staircase, nothing survived. Among the losses cited by the owner:

• a château sideboard he describes as one of a kind;
• two Atlas figures by the Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Piazzetta;
• a 16th century Italian harpsichord;
• porcelain from the Compagnie des Indes;
• two Venetian Nubian statues from the late 18th century;
• two large still lifes by Jan Venix.

The heaviest loss was in the private apartment: a collection assembled over 22 years, the 32 maps from the atlas printed in Ulm in 1482 based on Ptolemy's Geography. Jean-Louis Charon believes he will probably never be able to reconstitute it.

The restored rooms: less burned, but badly damaged

BeforeAfter

The farther you get from the staircase pavilion, the less damage the fire caused. The grand salon, the small Chinese salon, and the galleries did not burn entirely. They did, however, suffer from smoke, soot, and especially the water from the fire hoses.

BeforeAfter

All the paneling in the château was removed and placed in safekeeping to dry, in the hope that it can be put back in place without being entirely remade. The furniture evacuated during the night by the firefighters and the château's team is currently being restored. Notable pieces include a set of Jacob armchairs, a cabinet by Nicolas Sageot, and a bed acquired from Buckingham Palace, which had come from a residence of the Queen Mother Elizabeth.

BeforeAfter

The floors remain an open question. In the ground-floor gallery, the cabochon-patterned tiles took in smoke and turned gray. No one yet knows whether they can be saved. Here is the color on the second floor:

BeforeAfter

Work continues

Despite the financial uncertainty, the owners have chosen to keep the entire Médavy team: seven full-time staff members. They are continuing two projects that were underway before the fire:

• the Douves pavilion, spared by the fire. Its room with painted ceilings, whose historiated decor dates to 1615, is currently being restored with support from the DRAC (France's regional cultural affairs authority);
• the ha-ha, the last section of the moat, at the entrance to the property.

The planned reopening timeline

The owners are planning a phased reopening in three stages:

• Summer 2027: the Douves pavilion, spared by the fire and currently being restored
• 2028: the central block
• 2029: the hardest-hit sections, including the grand staircase pavilion

€450,000 from the Loto du Patrimoine

The restoration is estimated to cost 14 million euros. The château is covered by an American insurance policy, which the owner says has honored its commitments so far, but the payout may not cover the entire budget.

In April 2026, Médavy was selected as one of the 18 flagship sites for the 2026 Loto du Patrimoine, part of the Mission Patrimoine program led by Stéphane Bern and the Fondation du Patrimoine. The château represents Normandy. As part of this recognition, a check for €450,000 was officially presented to the owners at the château de Médavy on Saturday, September 19, 2026, during the European Heritage Days.

Supporting the rebuilding effort

The Fondation du Patrimoine has launched a fundraising campaign, "Together, let's bring the château de Médavy back to life!", with support from the Ministry of Culture and organizations such as La Demeure Historique and Vieilles Maisons Françaises. All donations go directly toward restoration work. For individual donors in France, contributions qualify for a 66% income tax deduction: a €100 donation effectively costs €34 after the deduction.

Support the rebuilding of the château de Médavy

Frequently asked questions

Where is the château de Médavy located?

In the Orne department, in Normandy, near Mortrée, about two and a half hours west of Paris.

When did the fire happen?

During the night of September 24 to 25, 2025. The fire burned for about seven hours.

What part of the château burned?

About two-thirds of the building was affected. The staircase pavilion and the owners' apartment were completely destroyed.

How much will the rebuilding cost?

It's estimated at 14 million euros. The château received €450,000 from the 2026 Loto du Patrimoine, and a fundraising campaign by the Fondation du Patrimoine is currently underway.

Is the château open to visitors?

Not at the moment. The reopening is planned in three stages: the Douves pavilion in summer 2027, the central block in 2028, and the hardest-hit sections, including the grand staircase, in 2029.

How can I help support the rebuilding effort?

By donating to the Fondation du Patrimoine's campaign, which is 66% deductible from French income tax.Support

Below are the two videos shot by So Châteaux at the château de Médavy.

Photos: So Châteaux