Maison natale Charles de Gaulle
Family home in Lille where Charles de Gaulle was born in 1890, restored as a late 19th-century bourgeois residence.
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About the museum
Charles de Gaulle was born on November 22, 1890, at 9 rue Princesse in Lille, in the home of his maternal grandparents. He spent many holidays there until 1912. The house belonged to the Maillot family and left the family's hands after the Second World War.
The house belongs to the Fondation Charles de Gaulle and became a museum in 1983. The Nord Département has managed it since 2014. It is a listed historic monument and holds the Maisons des Illustres label.
Closed in November 2019, the house underwent a major renovation: about 200 workers from 25 trades worked on it. The work revealed secret doors, concealed windows and more than 50 old wallpapers. The site was completed in November 2020, and the house reopened to the public on May 19, 2021.
Today the route is immersive and presents the house as if its occupants had just left it. It recreates the look of the years 1890–1912, with wallpapers faithfully remade using traditional techniques. More than 1,800 objects and pieces of furniture are on display, including some items that belonged to the family, such as the cradle, the christening gown and the sabre of a Saint-Cyr graduate.
Highlights
- Charles de Gaulle's birthplace, a late 19th-century bourgeois residence in Lille
- Restored interiors, with wallpapers faithfully remade using traditional techniques
- More than 1,800 objects and furniture pieces, including the cradle, the christening gown and a Saint-Cyr graduate's sabre
- Free booklets for children and a family route along rue Princesse
- Historic monument with the Maisons des Illustres label
Permanent exhibition
- Là où tout a commencé – Immersive tour of the birthplace, restored as a late 19th-century bourgeois residence, to discover the childhood and family of Charles de Gaulle.
- Founded
- 1983
- Operated by
- Département du Nord
- Visitors per year
- approx. 11,000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6job seekers, teachers and researchers, students, holders of the Louvre-Lens card, companions of a member of the Amis du Louvre, travelers with a day TER ticket (with proof) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for children under 18, with proof. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree for people with disabilities, on presentation of supporting proof. |
| Students & apprentices | €6Reduced rate with proof. |
| Groups (15+ people) | €6 per personGroup rate from 15 tickets; specific rates for school and out-of-school groups. |
| Guided tour (supplement to the entrance ticket) | €2Saturdays at 11:00 and 14:00; booking required; included in the ticket for visitors who are admitted free. |
| Audioguide (supplement to the entrance ticket) | €245-minute commentary. |
Free admission: First Sunday of the month; national or regional days and events in which the museum takes part (European Heritage Days, Museum Night).
The temporary exhibition is included in the ticket. Free admission with proof also for recipients of minimum social benefits, holders of the ICOM or ICOMOS card, the City Pass card and culture professionals. Payment by cash, check, bank card or Chèques-vacances.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- 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 layout of the house and the size of some rooms limit access for people with reduced mobility. The team can offer an adaptation on request, which may change the route. Folding seats are lent on request.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Three free items for children and families: a discovery booklet for the house from age 7, a walking route booklet for rue Princesse (ten stops) and a coloring book. Playful guided tours take place during some school holidays.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Winston Churchill · 5-min walk
Bus: Winston Churchill stop (lines 9, 14 and 50) and Voltaire stop (line 10), about 5 minutes on foot; Esplanade stop (lines 10 and L1), about 10 minutes on foot. Metro (Rihour) and train (Lille Flandres station) about 20 minutes on foot.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no parking. Paid on-street parking; Lille Champ de Mars Petit Paradis car park, allée des Marronniers, 59000 Lille.
Amenities & dining
- Coat check
Free storage for small items; bags and bulky objects are not accepted. No picnic room; picnic areas are nearby (avenue du Peuple Belge, the Vieux-Lille ecological garden, the citadel).
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The route is one-way, with a visit booklet given free or a paid audioguide. A one-hour guided tour takes place every Saturday, by reservation; playful tours are offered during some school holidays. A visual bag check takes place at reception (Vigipirate security plan). |
