Every district of Chartres has its own identity, forged over hundreds of years of history. Listed as one of the most protected towns of France, it receives tens of thousands of tourists who enjoy its historic and cultural heritage, the famous cathedral, its sound and light festival “Chartres en lumière”, and in an entirely different key, its cosmetic and perfume companies.
A district of Chartres, Bel Air, a social housing estate, had been set to one side and become an almost forgotten part of the old town. So the OPH Chartres Métropole Habitat and the municipality decided to break this isolation by implementing a dynamic project to refurbish its properties in this district. It decided to confer the mission to the mural designers and painters of CitéCréation to embellish the estate.
The fresco project was driven by the leaders of the municipality who wanted to send a clear message that Bel Air is an integral part of the town.
The interior refurbishment of the apartments was done in collaboration with the inhabitants during this period, by asking them to participate in the joint creation of the mural paintings. The exterior refurbishment would not have been possible without their participation!
To the utmost joy of Bel Air’s inhabitants, to a great extent consulted and associated with the choice of mock-ups, the mural painters responded by adorning the walls of these buildings with historic and symbolic murals to heighten the district’s identity (the architecture of the town-centre, the Beauce region, perfumes and the banks of the Loire).
This mural circuit satisfies a large number of urban planning and socioeconomic needs. It perpetuates memories and favours sustainable cultural development. The Tourist Office now proposes guided tours throughout the year to discover Bel Air’s mural circuit.
Cost of the monumental mural design project:
The property in figures:
Technical characteristics of the painted facades:
*Excluding scaffolding, surface preparation, team facilities, site office with access to water.
