Heritage, as you know, is his hobby! And it was only natural that Stéphane Bern fell in love with real estate the day he came across this superb building in Thiron-Gardais, in Eure-et-Loir. The object of his lust? The former royal and military college located in the heart of this Percheron village of 1000 inhabitants. And to get it, the Eurovision presenter had to jostle and line up the “zero” on the checkbook.
It was his file that was retained while two other candidates wanted to acquire the college of Thiron-Gardais. The condition ? That Stéphane Berne undertakes to restore the premises and to create a museum, within its four walls, in the old classrooms. He therefore spent €300,000 to become an owner, in 2013… and €4 million for the restoration, forcing him to mortgage his Parisian apartment, in the Pigalle district, to sell his furniture and to borrow on 25 year !
“If I’m very objective with myself, I’m broke, but proudhe explains. Proud to have made work a hundred craftsmen, proud to have saved this place of History, proud that it can be visited. I love showing it around!“During the summer of 2016, Stéphane Bern made his purchase somewhat profitable by receiving nearly 12,000 visitors. He finally decided to settle there himself, following the various inconveniences that occurred in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.