Clotilde Dumay, edited by Alexandre Dalifard 06h33, April 10, 2023

Climate change continues to claim its toll. Despite its 400 years of history and resistance, the Palace of Versailles now faces a new kind of threat, global warming. Faced with this, the curators are working to preserve the history of this monument.

It has experienced many misery in nearly 400 years of history. But today, the Palace of Versailles faces a new threat: climate change. Conservators must now take into account the effects of heat or drought to protect the monument and its works. This is partly the aim of the "European Protocol for the Prevention of Conservation" – the Epico programme. Thanks to the data collected, the specialists want to establish, by 2025, a charter with solutions to preserve castle-museums from the consequences of climate change.

Limit heat and light

In the Queen's inner cabinets, Danilo Forleo, head of the Epico research programme, goes out in the sun, near the windows. "The idea is to place infrared films that are not perceptible to the naked eye. And in addition to that, we will superimpose a veil, curtains with under curtains, lined with a technical fabric, "he says at the microphone of Europe 1. Objective: to limit heat and light, which are more and more, with global warming, to alter the decors of the castle, according to the head of the Epico program. "We are seeing an increase in mold and insect pests because they grow more in higher temperature conditions. Then, the drought leads to problems of cracks on the sets, "laments Danilo Forleo.

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In all rooms, sensors record temperature, humidity, light and dust levels. And new technologies will make it possible to go even further. "Spectral imaging will allow us, with a 3D mapping of parts, to measure in real time the changes in the surfaces of materials according to climatic fluctuations," explains the specialist. The goal is therefore to preserve the life expectancy of furniture, also taking into account the imperatives of energy sobriety. The diagnostic methods of the Epico program have also just been installed at the Château de Chantilly. And abroad, they will be set up in September at the New Palace in Potsdam, near Berlin.