Vittoriosa’s Auberge de France is to undergo restoration works thanks to a €35,000 sponsorship by the Malta Tourism Authority.
The auberge was built around 1533 - soon after the arrival of the Knights of Malta - and housed French knights except those from Provence and Auvergne, who had separate quarters.
The building currently houses Vittoriosa local council.
Announcing the funding on Tuesday morning, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said that the investment will benefit the locality, It is also part of a bigger investment to make Malta a centre of excellence in tourism.
Bartolo observed that despite the pandemic, the island has seen a growing number of French tourists.
[attach id="1091455" size="large" align="left" type="image"]MTA chairman Gavin Gulia, Mayor John Boxhall and Tourism minister Clayton Bartolo signing an agreement on funding for the restoration of Auburge de France Photo: Jonathan Borg[/attach]
MTA Chairman Gavin Gulia said that the authority is investing in a number of restoration projects, to benefit locals and improve tourist areas.