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A labour of love for
the French heritage
A few hours on Eurostar and the Metro
(Parisian tube network), trying to remember
my French (I have lived in the UK for three
years now) and I finally walked through the
gold plated gate of the majestic baroque
castle from the 17
th
Century.
I have, being French, been to the great
Versailles before but in 2007 Nexans signed,
for the first time in its history, an agreement
of sponsorship to renovate the technical
networks of the Château and Estate of
Versailles.
Because protecting the building also meant
protecting the site and visitors, Nexans
expect this year to renovate the electrical
networks, meaning:
• Upgrading the medium voltage
installations
• Attaining the highest safety standards
• Modernising the electrical networks
• Reorganising the Groves
• Renovating the power system.
This we learned about from Jean-Jacques
Aillagon, Versailles’ president, Frédéric
Vincent, chief executive officer of Nexans,
and Athem’s team (the project’s design
and communication agency) as they went
through each stage of the modernisation of
the Chateau de Versailles.
Nexans – it appears – felt compelled to
undertake the works at their own expense,
a generosity normally lacking and out of the
ordinary in this day and age.
The other reason we were there was to
unveil the huge canvas, due to be draped
over the main court of the castle while the
work is being carried out.
This huge structure now envelops the
Versailles’ Royal Courtyard, covers some
1,000m
2
and welcomes visitors with an
artistic and surprising sight that shows off
the architecture and gardens.
Continued on page 27
n
2007: Great Versailles Palace
Renovation of the power, data and
communications network
n
2011: Electriciens sans frontiers
Mission to improve the living
conditions
of
disadvantaged
population providing electricity and
water.
Nexans will supply 50% of ESF’s
annual cable needs for low and
medium votage power cables
n
2011: The Louvre-Lens Museum
Nexans is providing the low and
medium voltage cables and data
cables for the museum’s new project
Sponsorship
EuroWire – November 2011
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