Maison Bergès

About the museum

In 1867, Aristide Bergès, who came from the Pyrenees, discovered the Grésivaudan valley while working on the machinery of a mill in Domène. There he found the forest, water, transport and labor needed for a pulp factory. In 1869, he set up a wood-pulp factory in the gorges of Lancey, on the site of a former mill, and diverted the water of the torrent through a 200-metre penstock to power his machines. In the 1880s, he added a second pipe and a dynamo, producing both mechanical and hydroelectric energy.

The factory became a paper mill, and the Bergès family, who had lived in Grenoble until the mid-1880s, settled near the works. An extension was added to the house in 1898, and a reception hall was built in 1902–1903; these alterations reflect the family's taste for eclecticism and Art Nouveau. The house was later turned into a museum, which has kept its original interior decoration.

The Maison Bergès is one of the departmental museums of Isère. Its permanent exhibition traces the rise of the paper industry and hydroelectricity, and works by artists who were friends of the family, including Alfons Mucha, Gaston Bussière and Auguste Davin, are displayed throughout the house. In the park, turbines from the former paper mill are on show.

Highlights

• Art Nouveau family house with original decoration
• History of paper and hydroelectricity
• Works by Alfons Mucha, Gaston Bussière and Auguste Davin
• Park with turbines and the “chemin des turbines”
• Free admission

Permanent exhibition

• Exposition permanente : art et industrie – Route through the Bergès family's Art Nouveau house on the rise of the paper industry and hydroelectricity, with works by artists who were friends of the family.

Operated by

Département de l'Isère

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission, open to all.

Accessibility

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

Spaces are accessible to visitors with reduced mobility; free audio guides in French and English and folding seats are available. The park has been renovated to improve its accessibility. Animals are not admitted to the museum, except assistance dogs; dogs on a leash are welcome in the park.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Two-hour workshops during school holidays for all ages, family or friends challenges of 30 minutes to 1 hour, and occasional shows for young audiences. Nature club for children on Wednesdays outside school holidays, run with the association Elles et Cie. Colouring sheets and a guide to making bubbles, printable for free.

Getting there & parking

By car: A41 (Grenoble / Chambéry), exit 24.1 (Villard-Bonnot) or exit 24 (Brignoud, Crolles, Villard-Bonnot), then towards La Combe-de-Lancey; the museum is signposted at a right-hand bend.

Amenities & dining

• Coat check: not available

No cloakroom for bags or objects; large bags and suitcases are not admitted. Bags are checked visually at reception (Vigipirate plan). Museum publications are sold on site.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit