Coubertin Foundry: Preserving Bronze Artistry in France's Chevreuse Valley

The Coubertin Foundry, located within a 17th-century estate near the Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse RER station in the Chevreuse Valley, operates as a premier art foundry and educational center. Established in 1963, it specializes in bronze casting and restoration, working on high-profile projects including sculptures for Versailles, such as the restoration of the Apollo Fountain's lead sculptures in 2022, and creating bronze editions of Rodin's 'The Gates of Hell.' The foundry is part of the Coubertin Foundation, a public utility organization founded in 1973, which originated from a 1949 meeting between Yvonne de Coubertin, the estate's last heir, and Jean Bernard, a figure in the revival of craft guilds. The foundation emphasizes rigorous manual training, hosting 36 young professionals annually for a year-long program combining practical workshops with theoretical studies in art history, drawing, and philosophy. Under director Christophe Béry, who has led the foundry for a decade, the facility employs techniques like lost-wax casting and ceramic shell molding, and maintains a rare metal repoussé section. Notable works include monumental statues of Charles de Gaulle and Winston Churchill by Jean Cardot, and pieces displayed internationally in cities like New York, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Seoul. Sculptor Harumi Klossowska de Rola currently collaborates with the foundry on a series of 23 pieces for a New York gallery. The foundation operates without public subsidies, sustaining itself through its workshops, and has trained 41 former bursars who now work as permanent staff. Its mission focuses on transmitting high-level craftsmanship, with director José Fonseca noting the intentional training of future competitors as part of this educational ethos.