Monastère royal de Brou

About the museum

Margaret of Austria, regent of the Netherlands, had the monastery built from 1506 to honour the memory of her husband Philibert the Handsome, who died in 1504. It was to house three tombs: those of Philibert, of his mother Margaret of Bourbon and her own. She directed the work from Malines and brought artists, craftsmen and materials from across Europe. The church, in the Flamboyant Gothic style, was begun in 1512, and the three cloisters were completed in 1513. Margaret died in 1530 without returning to Brou and has rested in the church since 1532.

Augustinian friars lived there until the Revolution, which expelled the community. The building escaped demolition in 1791 and then served in turn as a prison, barracks, poorhouse and asylum before becoming a diocesan seminary in 1823. The seminarians left in 1906, after the separation of Church and State.

The municipal museum moved into the monastery buildings in 1922. Its collections of paintings, sculptures and decorative arts span more than five centuries, from the Middle Ages to contemporary creation. The visitor route was reworked in 2018 and 2022.

Highlights

• Flamboyant Gothic church with the tombs of Margaret of Austria, Philibert the Handsome and Margaret of Bourbon
• Rood screen and choir stalls
• Three cloisters and the apartments of Margaret of Austria
• Museum of Fine Arts: paintings, sculptures and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the present day
• Gustave Doré’s illustrations of Dante and Virgil

Permanent exhibitions

• Musée des beaux-arts de Brou – Paintings, sculptures and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to contemporary creation, presented in the monastery buildings.
• Église royale et tombeaux – Flamboyant Gothic church with its rood screen and the three princely tombs.

Founded

1922

Operated by

Centre des monuments nationaux et Ville de Bourg-en-Bresse

Visitors per year

approx. 112,860

Admission & discounts

Free admission: The first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December.

The ticket gives access to the church, the museum of fine arts, the cloisters and the temporary exhibitions. Entry is also free for job seekers and recipients of the RSA (minimum income benefit), holders of the Pass Éducation or the Pass’Découvertes de l’Ain, and members of professional cards (CMN, Ministry of Culture, ICOM, MAPRA). The Passion monuments is an annual pass for this monument and more than 80 others. Payment by card, cash or cultural voucher; holiday vouchers are accepted at the ticket office only.

Accessibility

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

The route has been fully accessible since the 2018 redevelopment. A lift serves the floor with the rood screen, Margaret of Austria’s apartments and the museum. Four reserved parking spaces are 150–300 m from the entrance. Wheelchairs, walkers and folding seats are lent; an induction loop serves the ticket office. Tactile supports, Braille, large-print and easy-read booklets, and sign-language videos are provided.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

Children’s labels mark the route, and games booklets are provided with admission. The game “Grou, le petit dragon” is for children aged 7 and up, and the treasure hunt for ages 5 and up. Storytelling sessions, workshops and Easter egg hunts are organised, especially during the holidays, for children aged 3 to 12.

Getting there & parking

By car: from Mâcon (35 min) via the A40, exit 7, then the N75; from Lyon (1 h) via the A42, exit 7, then the N75; from Geneva (1 h 15 min) via the A40, exit 7, then the N75. Bicycle racks are on the forecourt and a shared bike service is available.

Amenities & dining

• Coat check
• Lockers

Left-luggage and lockers available. Eating inside the monument is forbidden. An online shop offers books and posters.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Seminars, lectures, receptions, concerts and private visits outside opening hours. Requests must be made six months in advance. Contact: evenementiel.brou@monuments-nationaux.fr.

Plan your visit