Musée Charles Milcendeau

About the museum

Charles Milcendeau (1872–1919) was born in Soullans, Vendée. A student at the École nationale des beaux-arts in Paris, he worked in Gustave Moreau’s studio and mixed with Georges Rouault, Henri Matisse and Albert Marquet. After his father’s death, he bought the Bois-Durand estate on the edge of the marsh in 1905, with the aim of creating a kind of small Barbizon. His widow, Marguerite, lived there until 1955.

In 1976, the commune of Soullans acquired the property to create a museum dedicated to the artist, in the wake of the departmental ecomuseum promoted by Georges-Henri Rivière. An inquiry carried out with the Conservation départementale des musées de Vendée made it possible to recover scattered works and personal objects. The mural paintings in the room were listed as historic monuments in 1980.

The architect Jean-Claude Pondevie designed the exhibition building, inspired by an agricultural barn and clad in wood. The museum was inaugurated on May 27, 1982. It belongs to the commune of Soullans and is run by the Communauté de communes Océan Marais de Monts. The artist’s house, listed as a historic monument, has held the “Maisons des Illustres” label since 2024; the museum and the house have also received the Tourisme et Handicap and Destination d’excellence labels.

Highlights

• Portraits, landscapes, scenes of daily life and caricatures by Charles Milcendeau
• Artist’s house with neo-Moorish mural paintings
• Andalusian-style patio and garden
• Contemporary building by Jean-Claude Pondevie
• Tourisme et Handicap label and children’s trail

Permanent exhibitions

• Le musée Charles Milcendeau – Two large rooms show rural and society portraits, landscapes, scenes of everyday life and caricatures by the artist. The display is renewed every year.
• La maison de Charles Milcendeau – The artist’s house at Bois-Durand, with neo-Moorish mural paintings, restored in 2025 and open to visitors together with the museum.

Founded

1982

Operated by

Ville de Soullans (gestion : communauté de communes Océan Marais de Monts)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sundays of the month (except July and August)

From May 1 to September 20, a 30-minute visit around one artwork takes place every Friday at 15:00, included in the ticket. Payment methods: cash, bank card, cheque, holiday vouchers, ANCV Connect.

Accessibility

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

The museum received the Tourisme et Handicap label for all four types of disability (hearing, intellectual, motor and visual) on August 14, 2025. The two exhibition rooms are on one level. Induction loop at reception, subtitled presentation film, booklets in Braille, large print and simplified French, tactile images with audio description, sensory bags, wheelchair or seat cane on request. Guide and assistance dogs are admitted.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Visit trail for children and a “Petit Musée” with leisure activities. Art workshops from age 3 and early artistic awakening for ages 3–5, workshops for ages 6–8, unusual evening visits for families with playful challenges. Free for children under 6.

Getting there & parking

Address: 84 chemin du Bois-Durand, Soullans, on the edge of the Marais breton vendéen. The website provides documents on carpool areas, charging stations, train stations and bike rental.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Shop and ticket desk in the museum. In warm weather, hot or cold drinks and regional biscuits are served in the patio. Picnic area near the car park.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit