150 years ago Baron von Derviz, the creator of the Trans-Siberian Railway, bought a plot of land of 10 hectares in Nice, built the Château de Valrose and lived there with his wife and three children

150 years ago Baron von Derviz, the creator of the Trans-Siberian Railway, bought a plot of land of 10 hectares in Nice, built the Château de Valrose and lived there with his wife and three children. The grounds of the villa were laid out with grottoes, cascades, a great many sculptures, a fountain and even an izba, which, at the baron's command, was brought in pieces from Odessa. Today the local university, Sophia Antipolis, is housed there.

In 1990 the izba in which the Russian baron once received his guests was granted the status of a European heritage site, but today it is in need of restoration, especially its façade: the logs have rotted, and the carved decorative elements have suffered badly. And now, thanks to the efforts of the university and enthusiasts, the necessary sum for restoration has been allocated. Work will begin as early as the end of this year. After the repairs the building will become an office for international students.

The news is that the money for the restoration was found in the form of a "monuments funding lottery" to the tune of 700,000 euros. Does nobody find the cost of restoring a single little izba a trifle startling? Fine, if it were 10 thousand, 25 thousand, 70 thousand; even 100 thousand euros spent on restoring this historical and cultural monument would be tolerable. But 700 thousand? And all this to replace a few rotten logs. Show me the man who approved the estimate