Musée de la Chalosse

About the museum

In the 1970s, residents of the Chalosse began to promote local heritage. An exhibition in Dax in 1975, followed by retrospectives on bread, wine and other rural themes, sparked public interest. A joint syndicate was set up to study a museum of arts and traditions of the Chalosse, on the initiative of the mayor of Montfort-en-Chalosse and a member of the departmental council.

The Carcher house was bought on October 5, 1981, and the museum opened in 1984. The collections grew through field collecting and major deposits, including an important bequest from the Conseil général des Landes in 1986 and works deposited in 1987 by the city of Mont-de-Marsan and the Despiau-Wlérick museum.

The purchase of the Capmas farm in 1987 gave the estate its current form. The sharecropper's house (maison du métayage) opened in 2005, allowing the estate to be seen as a complete farm, and the main house was restored in 2010 and 2011.

The permanent route presents the Chalosse region, its landscapes and the life of its inhabitants in the 19th and 20th centuries. The collections include textiles, furniture and agricultural tools.

Highlights

• Domaine de Carcher with its main house and farm
• Sharecropper's house showing life on a farm
• Collections of textiles, furniture and agricultural tools
• Workshops for children (clay bricks, bread, marbles)
• Shop with local products and handmade crafts

Permanent exhibitions

• Parcours permanent – Route of about 2 hours 30 minutes through the Chalosse, its landscapes and the life of its inhabitants in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Fonds de collections – Collections of textiles, furniture, and agricultural tools and equipment.

Founded

1984

Operated by

Communauté de communes Terres de Chalosse

Visitors per year

approx. 11,824

Admission & discounts

Free admission with proof for job seekers, residents of the Communauté de communes Terres de Chalosse, members of the Friends of the Museum association, ICOM card holders, journalists and tour guides. Payment by cash, card, Pass Culture, cheque or holiday vouchers (chèques-vacances).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• 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

The permanent route, the temporary exhibition room and the cultural room are accessible. Two parking spaces are reserved. Seat-canes and a wheelchair are lent at reception, along with magnifying glasses. The site covers about half a hectare, with about 500 m of walking. Adapted visits are possible for groups.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

A booklet game for 7- to 12-year-olds can be printed or picked up at reception. During school holidays, workshops are offered: making clay bricks (from age 3), and bread dough and a marble game (from age 6).

Getting there & parking

By car: from Mont-de-Marsan, take the Tartas/Montfort exit, then the D7; from Dax, take the Pontonx/Adour exit, then the D10. From the voie verte (green cycle route), you can reach the village by bike from the former Montfort-en-Chalosse station. GPS coordinates: 43.7193642, -0.8334516.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Shop with merchandise, catalogues, posters, local products and handmade crafts. From May to October, bread baked in the museum's oven is sold on Wednesdays.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

A dedicated page for hiring spaces is available on the museum's website.

Plan your visit