US funding revives links to La Fayette's French château

A US grant will help restore a French château that has symbolised Franco-American friendship for more than a century.

The US has awarded a $235,000 grant – the first of its kind – to Château Lafayette in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, birthplace of the Marquis de La Fayette, the French aristocrat and military officer who volunteered to fight for the American colonies and became a close ally of George Washington.

In 1917, the château was bought by the American-founded French Heroes Lafayette Memorial Fund (FHLMF), led by Scottish-born American philanthropist John Moffat and Beatrice Chanler.

They hoped to preserve La Fayette’s birthplace as a Franco-American memorial – a French counterpart to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home – while also using it to help French children affected by World War One.

It became an orphanage and school for war orphans and also sheltered children evacuated from Paris during German bombardments.

In 1918, a facility was opened for children in poor health, staffed partly by American doctors and nurses.

Altogether, around 25,000 French and other European children were housed, cared for or educated there between 1917 and the late 1960s.

Mr Moffat oversaw the organisation’s fundraising operation in New York, which drew donations from more than 150,000 people, while the château also developed a museum.

He remained closely involved until his death in 1966 and is buried in the château grounds.

US grant supports restoration

In 2026, the château became the first site in France to benefit from the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP).

French and American representatives, including Cultural Affairs Advisor at the US Embassy in Paris Jehan Jones and Haute-Loire department president Marie-Agnès Petit, gathered at the château on La Fayette’s birthday, September 6.

Ms Petit said: “This is a source of immense pride for our department. This place reminds us that the future is shaped by the heritage we choose to preserve. One château, two stories – the history of a long-standing friendship.”

The AFCP’s 2026 grant cycle marks 250 years of American independence, spotlighting contributions the US has made around the world.

The château’s grant will enable the first phase of a five-year restoration project to begin, with particular focus on restoring the gardens.

Another portion will go towards preserving the FHLMF collections and documents dedicated to French soldiers who fought during the War of Independence.

An outreach and communication programme will also raise awareness among French, US and international audiences of the château’s history.

“May this project enable all those who step through the château gates to gain a better understanding of the history that unites our two nations,” said US Ambassador to France Charles Kushner.

The marquis is referred to as La Fayette in French, while Americans use the simplified Lafayette that he adopted after the French Revolution to dissociate himself from the aristocracy.

Château Lafayette opens to the public from April to November 1.