For the second year running, the jury for the Natural Heritage Prize (formerly the Landscape and Ecological Heritage Prize) has chosen the project to restore the Château de Buzet estate, located in the commune of Buzet-sur-Blaise, in the Lot-et-Garonne region. Entirely dedicated to agro-ecology, this future ‘Tiers-Lieu’ is being developed by the association Château & Fabriques de Buzet alongside the site's owner: the cooperative Les Vignerons de Buzet.
Built in the 11th century and surrounded by 11 hectares of parkland and gardens, this castle town is a major heritage and cultural asset for the region. The aim of the association is to transform this site and its estate into a research and experimentation centre dedicated to the agro-ecological transition: a regional innovation laboratory in common with the Viti Rev project, an educational offering with educational trails, introductions to the vegetable garden and other activities, as well as a cultural tourism offering and seminars.
The Prize will be entirely devoted to restoring the walled garden within the estate, where the work aims to restore the proportions of the space in accordance with the treaties of the ancient gardens of Dézallier d'Argenville. The work will also involve securing and restoring the old greenhouses, orange groves and gardener's house, in order to install a rainwater recovery system. The site will be home to a greater diversity of plants adapted to the seasons, and will provide an opportunity to develop educational and tourist partnerships and projects based on permaculture. Work will start in autumn 2022.
