In 2021, Christophe Leribault was appointed as the president of the Musée d’Orsay, succeeding Catherine Pégard, whose departure had been a topic of discussion at Versailles.
The council of ministers presented the nomination, and from March 4, Leribault took over from Pégard.
The replacement process for Catherine Pégard was full of ups and downs. The announcement of Leribault as her replacement was supposed to be made on February 14, but it was delayed by a week. The appointment decree was ready and the matter seemed settled. It is unknown who, Catherine Pégard, Christophe Leribault or the President of the Republic, requested the additional week. However, the appointment was finally made on February 21, ending a dramatic sequence of events.
Appointed in 2011 by Nicolas Sarkozy, P̩gard served three mandates under three different Presidents of the Republic. After March 4, 2021, she remained in the position even though her age Р69 years Рand the appointment rules did not permit her to continue. She served nearly three additional years under a legal provision that was stretched to the limit. The situation became even more complex when the administrator of Versailles left to join the National Maritime Museum in Paris.
During the 400th anniversary dinner of the estate in Versailles, Pégard privately revealed that she had been assured of retaining her post until the end of the Olympic Games and Paralympics, on September 9. It is speculated that the President of the Republic may have given her false hope.
Pégard’s successor inherits a restored estate, with 106 reopened rooms, including the Galleries of the History of the castle, the Latona basin, the Coach gallery, the Queen’s Grand apartment, the Queen’s House and the Apollo fountain. The Ministry of Culture stated that the new president will be responsible for completing the fire safety work on the main body of the castle.
Leribault, 60, leaves the museum he had led since 2021 and is anticipated to arrive in Versailles on March 4. The search for his successor at the museum is now underway.
