This pass, which had been announced in June by Culture Minister Catherine Pégard, is being implemented on the occasion of Heritage Days, which take place on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20. The objective is to “encourage more and more French people to discover their heritage” and to “generate resources thanks to these new visitors,” the Foundation stated in a press release.
Partner sites will receive on average 80% of their full price, it is specified. The future members of the Foundation “will be able to access renowned sites such as the Versailles Palace, the Chambord national domain, the Château de Fontainebleau, the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Hospices de Beaune“, according to the press release.
Less well-known or more original sites will also be accessible, such as the Ernest Renan House (Côtes-d’Armor), the Château de Villandraut (Gironde), the Château de Javarzay (Deux-Sèvres) or the Four des Casseaux (Haute-Vienne). “There are on average five sites per department”, explains AFP’s Alexandre Giuglaris, the Foundation’s chief executive.
Passes adapted to different profiles
Four annual membership options are offered: €78 for one person, €114 for two people, €138 for a family with one adult, and €175 for a family with two adults.
The pass is notably aimed at “less affluent” audiences, according to Alexandre Giuglaris.
Ephemeral visits, conferences and concerts will also be proposed. The Foundation, founded in 1996, claims to have helped “save, restore and transmit more than 46,487 projects across metropolitan France and overseas.” It counted 1,500 members last year, before the launch of the pass.
