Hauteville House, the former home of Victor Hugo on Guernsey, has secured a special three-million-euro patronage programme from The Pinault Collection for essential restoration works of the property.

The renovation programme aims to restore the exceptional residence to its original visual effect and reveal the thought and creativity that Hugo put into making the house one of the most notable on the island. Hauteville House, which usually welcomes 20,000 visitors a year between April and September, will reopen in 2019 after the year-long work takes place.

The residence was designed and furnished by the French writer and artist during his fifteen-year exile in Guernsey from 1856 and was where Hugo wrote some of his most famous works including Les Misérables, Toilers of the Sea, The Man Who Laughs and The Legend of the Ages. The beautiful house is widely regarded as a piece of work in itself and an expression of his creative genius with a profusion of second-hand furniture and bric-à-brac bought by Hugo during his time on the island. However, with time, the weather, instability of certain objects and natural wear and tear of the materials and textiles have changed the house and its décor. The renovations will not only return Hugo's house to its former glory, but also modernise public facilities, improve accessibility and enhance the visitor experience.

The house was passed to the city of Paris by the Hugo family in 1927 and is now managed by Paris Musées, which is also responsible for the conservation of Hugo's other iconic house on the Place des Vosges in Paris. The restoration project team is made up of representatives from both houses, as well as Paris Musées and Guernsey Heritage.

The Pinault Collection's patronage programme covers €3 million of the total estimated cost of €3.6 million, with the remainder financed by Paris Musées and the Heritage Foundation. Art connoisseur Francois Pinault is one of the most significant collectors of contemporary art in the world and for more than four decades has built up a collection of almost 3,000 works from the 20th century to the present day.

Visitors to Guernsey in summer 2018 can still explore Hugo's life on Guernsey at events and exhibitions across the island, including 'Hugo – Visions in Exile' at Guernsey Museum between 22 June and 16 September. 'Visions in Exile' is a prestigious exhibition examining Hugo's drawings from his time on exile. While Hugo is best known as a writer, his artwork is rarely seen and the display will offer a unique experience to see art that has not left France for four decades. The drawings, mainly using the ink with which he wrote his novels and poetry, are on loan from two major French cultural institutions, 'Maisons de Victor Hugo' and the 'Bibliotheque Nationale de France'.

Entrance to Guernsey Museum at Candie is £6.50 for adults and £2 for children (7-18 years) and students.

For more information, visit www.museums.gov.gg/gmag

For further information on Guernsey, visit www.visitguernsey.com

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