CMN Villers-Cotterêts Castle, 2020
Located 70 kilometers north of Paris, the Château de Villers-Cotterêts is a historical and symbolic place for the French language as it is here that article 111 of the Villers-Cotterêts ordinance was promulgated in 1539, making the use of the French language mandatory in all legal and administrative documents.
On March 20, 2018, President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would make this place a “symbolic pillar” of the French language.
Since June 2020, Pierre-Olivier Deschamps has been collaborating with the Centre des Monuments Nationaux and the Château de Villers-Cotterêts. During the 10,000 m2 restoration work, the photographer has free rein to follow and document the evolution of the site. 15 new reports will be made during the year 2021.