Restoring a historic castle

The 18th-century Château Ray-sur-Saône is a historic site built on the ruins of a medieval fortress. The castle remained in the ownership of the same family for almost 900 years and 29 generations before being bequeathed to the state.
 
Following its transfer to the department of Haute-Saône, project managers and architects developed a renovation programme divided into several phases. One of the first major stages of the project was the replacement of the historic roof.

Following a call for tenders, the project was awarded to Pateu & Robert, a company founded in 1854 with experience in the renovation of historic buildings. The company contributed to the preparation of the castle for its future use as a museum and venue for cultural events. The renovation project required the installers to adapt to the complex roof geometry, which had evolved through successive extensions and alterations to the original structure.
 
To preserve the building's historic character, the new roof was covered with more than 80,000 locally manufactured Aléonard tiles in four different colours. Three were selected from the Monuments Historiques collection: Ocré Lichen, Noir de Vigne and Vert de Lichen, while the fourth was a glazed Opale de feu tile. In addition, salvaged tiles from the existing roof were reintegrated into the new covering. The finished roof retains its irregular curves and non-continuous lines while reflecting the restoration approach adopted for the project. The roofing project was later recognised with an Aléonard Trophy in the Historic Monuments category.

The roof restoration project was completed in September 2020, allowing work to continue on the castle’s façades and woodwork. These phases were completed in 2022, after which the castle gradually reopened to the public for special events. Among them was a celebration marking the 10th anniversary of its donation by Diane Baconnière de Salverte, the castle’s last private owner, in May 2025.