In 2018, large waves caused by the Adrian storm had overflowed the sea on the Côte de Menton in the Alpes-Maritimes and had reached the museum dedicated to the filmmaker and poet Jean Cocteau. The firefighters had noted 1.50 meters of water in the reserves of the museum where some 2,000 works were preserved.
Immediate measures had been taken, including the closure of the museum and the launch of a project management market in order to identify the areas to be rehabilitated. The estimated amount of costs was estimated at 2 million euros. The restoration of the works began in 2020. According to the museum director, Sandrine Faraut Ruelle, around 70 % of the works were damaged by water. Almost 90 % could be restored, while 3 % was irreparably lost, some of which are cocteau posters. “Fortunately, these were not major works”she said to France 3.
The museum was still closed in 2024, despite reopening announced for 2021 and 2022. Le Figaro had then questioned the municipality, which indicated that he did not know anything about his future. Very recently France 3 Côte d’Azur revealed the existence of a dispute between the city to the building insurer, the Smacl. This refuses to recognize the unpredictable character of the Adrian storm and therefore to cover the cost of repairs. On the other hand, the insurer of works of art paid € 932,000 as well as a sum intended to buy the works. The litigation is now in the hands of the Nice Administrative Court, which has scheduled a hearing for the second half of 2025.
The state of the museum, frozen in time, evokes a ghostly place. During a visit, France 3 noted that the panels of the last temporary exhibition dedicated to Valerio Adami were still in place. In the basement, the ground has been ripped off, the false ceiling withdrawn at the insurer’s request to assess the damage. The broken glass during the storm was walled.
According to justice, the rehabilitation work is estimated at 3.28 million euros, while the municipality mentions a total cost of almost 9 million. The mayor of Menton, Yves Juhel, said that the future building permit would involve a modification of the safeguard and enhancement plan (PSMV), resulting in two years of additional procedure, followed by three years of site. The municipality will also have to find a new insurer. The reopening of the Jean Cocteau museum is therefore not expected before the end of the decade.
Labeled Museum of France, the Jean Cocteau museum opened in November 2011 in a 2,700 m² building designed by the architect Rudy Ricciotti, at a cost of more than 15 million euros. Its origin results from a donation of 1,800 works made in 2005 by the American-Belgian Séverin Wunderman collector in the city of Menton.
