Appeal for help after key to ancient chest missing from Dordogne chateau
Key will cost thousands of euros to replace
There are no copies for the key for the 17th-century safe
robert paul van beets/Shutterstock/ Château de Losse
The owners of a historical chateau in Dordogne are asking members of the public for help recovering a lost key that opens a rare chest displayed in the building.
The key is believed to have been stolen by a visitor to the Château de Losse at some point last week (between August 12 and 16).
The chateau is open to the public and hosts a display of rare artefacts, amongst which is a 17th-century safe (coffre de Nuremberg).
The key has no copy and is the only one in existence.
The safe itself has a “rare and elaborate mechanism [to open it]… But the key has no historical or material value,” said Martin de Roquefeuil, who manages the 16th-century chateau.
“The chest was exhibited from the 1960s onwards, and the key was made in 1990. It has never been particularly well protected,” he added.
Replacement will cost thousands of euros
This does not mean, however, that it will not be a long and expensive process to replace.
“[The key was made] by a craftsman who created it because it no longer existed,” Mr de Roquefeuil said.
“He's going to have to come back and redo everything. It's an extraordinary skill, but it's going to take time and cost thousands of euros.”
This will eat into money that could go towards necessary renovations for the chateau, which includes historic gardens and a restaurant awarded a ‘green’ Michelin star for sustainability.
Read more: 52 new Michelin star restaurants in France - is there one near you?
A video showing the chest and the key as part of a tour of the chateau was uploaded to YouTube shortly before the theft, which you can watch below
Concerns over future thefts
“Now we're worried about the other artefacts. We're wondering whether other things should be withdrawn from the tour. We're no longer sure of anything,” the manager said, adding all the works in the castle were now under CCTV footage.
“We welcome our visitors in a simple, almost family way, and this sort of thing is happening. It is as if the people who did this had no respect for our project,” he added.
The manager has lodged a formal police complaint over the theft.
He is also asking members of the public who may have any information about the theft to contact the chateau on 05 53 50 80 08.
