Écomusée du Montmorillonnais

About the museum

The Écomusée du Montmorillonnais is an association founded in 1987, following a project that began in 1985 and was supported by an intercommunal syndicate and the Poitou-Charentes region. It studies and promotes the territory of the Vienne et Gartempe communauté de communes, showing the links between people and their environment. In 2008 it opened to the public the Juillé site, which it had bought and renovated.

Juillé is a former farm in the commune of Saulgé. The origin of the site is unknown: it may have been a Gallo-Roman villa, but there is no evidence. In the Middle Ages, a hamlet of small farmers belonged to the Maison-Dieu of Montmorillon. In 1699, Joseph Babert de la Pilatière bought the large farm. In 1880, Jean François Nouveau-Dupin, a lawyer and future mayor of Montmorillon, acquired the site, merged eight farmsteads and gave the buildings the appearance they have today. In the 20th century, Juillé ceased to be a working farm.

The permanent route has ten rooms. It presents the evolution of the environment, geology, housing, agricultural production, food, sustainable development and everyday life in the past, with films, models and life-size figures. In the outbuildings, a former henhouse houses a material library (matériauthèque) devoted to the building materials of traditional housing, and a reconstruction of the old washday, the “bugée” (lye washing). The site also has a conservation orchard of 25 old fruit varieties, a 3 km interpretation trail and, since 2018, a working forge.

Highlights

• Permanent route of ten rooms on rural life in the Montmorillonnais
• Historic farm at Juillé with its material library and reconstruction of the bugée
• Conservation orchard of 25 old fruit varieties
• 3 km interpretation trail and starting point of the GR 48
• Family investigation “On a volé un Rossignol” and working forge

Permanent exhibition

• Collection permanente du site de Juillé – Ten rooms in a former farm on rural life in the Montmorillonnais: environment, agriculture, food, housing and everyday life.

Founded

2008

Operated by

Association Écomusée du Montmorillonnais (loi de 1901)

Admission & discounts

Rate per adult for a self-guided visit of the Juillé site; no other rate is published for self-guided visits.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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

The site holds the Tourisme et Handicap label. A ramp leads to the ground floor, where seven of the ten rooms are; three rooms are upstairs, reached by a staircase without a lift. A film presents the upstairs content to visitors who cannot climb. Step edges are contrasted, the reception counter is adapted, a sound amplifier is available, and easy-to-read sheets describe the route.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Childcare for children aged 6 to 14 in summer, creative workshops, activities for the general public and out-of-school activities. The playful investigation “On a volé un Rossignol” is aimed at families and holds the Expériences Famille label of the Vienne department. For summer childcare, registration by phone 48 hours in advance is compulsory.

Getting there & parking

The site is accessible to cars and coaches via the D 729 (Montmorillon–Moulismes). A rural track from the D 5 (Montmorillon–Saulgé) is reserved for cars. The long-distance footpath GR 48 “Vienne Limousine” passes through Juillé.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Shop open in season, with local produce and publications from the Écomusée; there is also an online shop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit