Maison Zola – Musée Dreyfus

About the museum

In 1878, Émile Zola, who had become famous with L'Assommoir, bought a house in Médan on the banks of the Seine between Poissy and Triel. He had a square tower built there for his large study, where he wrote the Rougon-Macquart series, then, in 1885–1886, a second, hexagonal tower financed by the success of Germinal. Through successive land purchases, the estate grew from 1,600 m² to nearly 42,000 m². It was in Médan that the collective volume Les Soirées de Médan appeared in 1880.

After Zola's death, his widow Alexandrine gave the house to the Assistance publique in 1905, which housed convalescent children there. A museum project appeared in 1939, but the war halted it. The house opened to the public on October 6, 1985, at the initiative of an association, then in 1998 passed to the management of Pierre Bergé's association under a long-term lease.

Closed in 2011 for a major restoration, the house regained the appearance it had in Zola's time and reopened in 2021. In the same year, the lazaret, a former Assistance publique building on the estate, was converted into the Musée Dreyfus, which traces the Dreyfus Affair and its present-day echoes: anti-Semitism, racism, justice, the press and the role of intellectuals. The site holds the “Musée de France” and “Maison des Illustres” labels.

Highlights

• Guided tour of Zola's house, restored to its period state
• The writer's square and hexagonal towers
• Musée Dreyfus on the Dreyfus Affair
• Estate gardens
• Musée de France and Maison des Illustres labels

Permanent exhibitions

• Maison d'Émile Zola – Guided tour of the writer's house, restored to the state in which Zola lived, with its two towers and his study.
• Musée Dreyfus – Permanent exhibition on the Dreyfus Affair and its echoes in today's world, housed in a former building on the estate.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Association gestionnaire de la Maison Zola – Musée Dreyfus (bail de longue durée avec l'Assistance publique)

Admission & discounts

The €9 ticket covers the Musée Dreyfus only, payable on site without reservation. The combined visit of the house and museum costs €15 and must be booked online.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• 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

Two parking spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility are located on the estate. The site gives no further information on accessibility.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car: A13 or A14 motorway, exit 7, toward Villennes, then Médan.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

The house can host an exceptional event, a meal with clients, partners or teams, as well as film shoots. Interior area of 360 m² and exterior area of 5,870 m². A railway line runs nearby, with two to three trains per hour. Contact: contact@maisonzola-museedreyfus.com.

Plan your visit