Lieu de mémoire du Chambon-sur-Lignon

About the museum

The Lieu de Mémoire was approved in 2010 to tell the particular story of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon and the plateau during the Second World War, notably the reception of refugees and the rescue of persecuted people. To remain on the scale of the village, the project converted a former cross-country ski lodge and the unused end of the primary school. Three years were needed to raise the funding, carry out historical research, design the architecture and scenography, and complete the works.

The architect David Fargette links the two buildings with a glass structure that lights the spaces and makes the site visible from the street. The museography, developed with a scientific committee of historians, uses films, panels, touchscreens and slide shows. The site opened on June 3, 2013.

The permanent route presents the territory and its inhabitants, then three forms of resistance: civil, spiritual and armed. A memory room on the first floor gives voice to rescuers, refugees and resistance fighters. A garden designed by Louis Benech extends the visit at the back of the building. Since September 2020, the Mémorial de la Shoah has managed the site, which also offers temporary exhibitions, lectures and an educational service.

Highlights

• Permanent route on civil, spiritual and armed resistance on the plateau
• Memory room with testimonies from rescuers, refugees and resistance fighters
• Garden of Memory designed by Louis Benech, with a basalt sculpture by Paul Armand Gette
• Buildings linked by a glass structure by architect David Fargette
• Booklet and treasure trail for children

Permanent exhibitions

• Exposition permanente – A route across the plateau and its inhabitants during the war: civil resistance, including the reception of refugees, spiritual resistance and armed resistance, from the refractories to the maquis. A memory room gathers testimonies.
• Jardin de la Mémoire – A garden for reflection at the back of the building, with an orchard, wildflowers, heather banks and a basalt sculpture by Paul Armand Gette.

Founded

2013

Operated by

Mémorial de la Shoah

Admission & discounts

Free admission: European Heritage Days in September

Payment methods: bank card, cash, check, Pass Région for lycée pupils from Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Pass'Culture; groups can pay later by invoice.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• 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 visitor route is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility thanks to a lift. A wheelchair and folding walking sticks can be borrowed at reception on request. A reserved parking space is located opposite the site. Groups are asked to give advance notice so the visit can be adapted.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

A visitor booklet for children aged 8 to 12, to be explored together with an adult, costs €1.50 at reception. The outdoor treasure trail “Un œil sur Le Chambon” costs €1 (available at reception and the tourist office). The site holds the Famille Plus label.

Getting there & parking

The site is in the extension of the primary school, opposite the temple. Driving distances: Le Puy-en-Velay 43 km (about 50 minutes), Saint-Étienne 63 km (about 1 hour), Valence 71 km (about 1 hour 30 minutes), Lyon 120 km (about 2 hours).

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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