About the project
A French manor, rebuilt in public
Who. Dimitri and David are a young couple, former Head of Compliance and former Literature professor, who purchased Egmont Manor in September 2025 and are 100% committed to restoring it as a private home and occasional venue.
What. Egmont Manor is a 19th-century French country house comprising approximately 12 rooms across three floors, including a winter garden, 10.000 square meters parc.
The fire. On the night of 20 November 2025, a fire destroyed the roof, last floor and severely damaged the main structure. The decision to rebuild, and to document the process openly, was made the following morning.
Where we are now. As of spring 2026, the research for the best craftsmen is still ongoing to be able to restaure the historical roof. The project is followed by a global community across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and a weekly newsletter. The manor is expected to reopen in late 2027.
Key figures
1.6M+
Followers across platforms
3,400+
Newsletter subscribers
(Launched 7 May 2026)
24
Months of reconstruction
Late 2027
Target reopening
Summer 2028
First weddings
Photo gallery
Available for editorial use
Quotes for editorial use
"When you buy and restore a historic manor, you can't keep it for yourself, it becomes almost a public legacy."
— Dimitri, co-founder
Free for editorial use
"There is something profoundly honest about rebuilding in public. Every mistake is visible. Every decision is accountable."
— David, co-founder
Free for editorial use
"It is truly like writing a chapter in the manor's life, we will do our best with this chapter, and the book will continue without us. That's the beauty of legacy."
— Marie, Dimitri's mother
Free for editorial use
Press coverage
Selected features
The founders
About the authors
Dimitri
Dimitri trained as a lawyer for a decade before working on heritage restoration projects. He discovered Egmont Manor on a winter drive through the countryside and knew, within an hour of walking the grounds, that they would buy it. They oversee all structural restoration decisions and do most of the work themselves.
David
David is a former English literature teacher for the State of Geneva. At Egmont Manor, David is the storyteller of the project, writing the weekly letter with Dimitri, managing the community, and documenting the restoration in words. He is also responsible for the online strategy for the manor.
Get in touch
Press contact
Phone
+33 (0)7 63 73 20 61
Time zone
CET (UTC+1)
Languages
French, English, Portuguese
Available for phone, video, and in-person interviews. Manor visits welcome by appointment.
All photographs and written materials included in this press kit are provided free of charge for editorial use only. They may not be used for commercial, advertising or promotional purposes without prior written consent. Credits must be maintained as specified in each caption. For licensing enquiries, contact press@egmontmanor.com. © 2026 Egmont Manor. All rights reserved.