The Château de Vaux located in Fouchères (Aube) is in shock after the theft of several objects while the château was open to the public. A Louis XV wall clock and a pair of Napoleon III gilded candelabra engraved with the M and the crown of the Maupas, owners of Vaux under Napoleon III, were stolen. The incident occurred between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm in the grand salon, which had just been refurnished and renovated. Museum staff were on site at the time of the incident, “The theft took place during the lunch break” says Edouard Guyot, the curator and owner of the castle. Even if such a theft in broad daylight arouses general surprise, “This has unfortunately happened in many castles” the owner of the place is saddened.
The identity of the thief is not yet known, but it is a person “who must have paid for his entry ticket” and who stole the objects. “with the help of a backpack”The thief clearly thought through his plan, as he made several trips before stealing the items. “We found a gilded wooden barometer from the Louis XVI period in the entrance hall, behind a door. These are not pieces of great monetary value but of sentimental value. It touches on the history of the castle.”deplores Édouard Guyot.
Situated on a 12,000-hectare estate surrounded by forest, the Château de Vaux was built in 1720 by Louis XV’s architect Germain Boffrand. Sold in 1970 to Philippe Vallery-Radot, the estate was bought in 2015 by Edouard Guyot, who undertook major renovation work and opened the estate to the public for the first time.
An appeal for help to all visitors has been launched online. The appeal for witnesses and images of the objects are posted on the estate’s Facebook page. “We have benefited from a surge of solidarity” explains the director. Many Internet users have in fact mobilized to relay the announcement and offer their support to the staff of the estate. The estate’s video surveillance cameras and visitors’ mobile phones should allow the thief to be quickly found. Online resale sites such as Leboncoin, Marketplace and others will be analyzed carefully during the investigation conducted by the gendarmerie.
An initiative has been set up to encourage the thief to return the objects anonymously. The thief is invited before Friday July 26 at 00:01 to bring the objects in front of one of the castle entrances out of sight in exchange for a promise of clemency towards him. We are launching this “kind proposal before filing a complaint tomorrow” explains the director, determined to recover the stolen heritage. Despite the shock, the castle will remain open to the public. “Of course we will remain open. Our visitors are our first patrons” explains the director.
