Centre international d'art et du paysage de Vassivière

About the museum

The art centre grew out of a citizens' initiative. From 1983 to 1985, a granite sculpture symposium on the Vassivière island, organised by the association LAC&S, laid the foundations for a sculpture park. The DRAC (the state's regional cultural authority) supported it with exhibitions on the island and, from 1986, prepared the ground for a contemporary art centre.

The building, designed from 1987 by the architects Aldo Rossi and Xavier Fabre, opened in 1991 and is recognised as remarkable contemporary architecture. It stands on the island, in the middle of a lake of 1,000 hectares created by a hydroelectric dam built on the Maulde between 1949 and 1952. Run by an association founded in 1987, it received the “Centre d'art contemporain d'intérêt national” label in 2018.

The centre supports research, production and the dissemination of contemporary art through exhibitions, residencies, publications and events on art and landscape. Its Bois de sculptures, begun in 1983, brings together some sixty works among forest, meadows and lakeshores, open free of charge all year round.

Highlights

• Building by Aldo Rossi and Xavier Fabre (1989–1991) with its panoramic lighthouse
• Bois de sculptures: some sixty outdoor works, free admission
• Programme of contemporary art exhibitions
• Bookshop and artist residency programmes
• The island can be reached on foot via a footbridge

Permanent exhibition

• Bois de sculptures – Some sixty permanent or temporary works, commissioned since 1983, are spread across forest, meadows and lakeshores; access is free of charge.

Founded

1991

Operated by

Association du Centre international d'art et du paysage de l'île de Vassivière

Admission & discounts

Exhibition admission. Free for members of the Association des Amis du CIAPV, subscribers to the Relais du FRAC-Artothèque Nouvelle-Aquitaine, artists-authors (artistes-auteurs), students of ENSA Limoges, and holders of cards from the Ministry of Culture, press cards, ICOM and AICA cards, Tokyopass or Centre Pompidou. The Bois de sculptures is free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Accessible toilets are located at the entrance. The main exhibition space is behind the bookshop; the lower space is reached by 19 steps down, the upper space by 19 steps up, then 6 steps down into the second part. The lighthouse exhibition is on the ground floor, but the panoramic view requires climbing 106 steps. The car park is about 1 km from the centre, on the Pierrefitte peninsula. Seats are available in every room except the lower space.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Baby changing facilities

Parent-and-child workshops are offered during the school holidays (ages 3–6 and 6–12), and a free course for families from age 6. A baby changing table is located in the toilets at the entrance.

Getting there & parking

Motor vehicles are not allowed on the island. From Limoges, take the A20 motorway to Limoges (60 km), then continue via Eymoutiers to Beaumont-du-Lac. The centre lies on two cycle routes, La Vagabonde and La Vélidéale. Electric bicycles can be hired at Eymoutiers station.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

There is no restaurant at the centre; a bookshop is located at the entrance, where water is available. On the island, a restaurant (Pré du Lac), a bakery and a shop are open depending on the season.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit