Musée de la Marine de Mindin

About the museum

The tip of Mindin is a rocky spur at the mouth of the Loire, a strategic site for monitoring river traffic. The site was fortified by Vauban in 1696, then reinforced in 1754 with the Villès-Martin fort on the other side of the estuary, to keep any enemies from sailing up the Loire. The fort that stands today dates from 1861.

During the Second World War, the German army used the site, which was heavily damaged by the end of the conflict. In the late 1970s the town of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins bought the fort and had it restored with the help of the Mindin museum association (amicale du musée de Mindin), founded in 1979. The Musée de la Marine was inaugurated in July 1983.

Today the museum is still run by volunteers. Every year they present a temporary exhibition, and four permanent exhibitions evoke the liners Île-de-France, Normandie and France, as well as shipbuilding in Saint-Nazaire. Two cannons recovered from the wreck of the ship Le Juste, sunk in 1759 after the battle of the Cardinaux, can be seen on the fort site.

Highlights

• 19th-century fort facing the Loire estuary
• Models of ships, old and modern
• Permanent exhibitions on the liners Île-de-France, Normandie and France
• Section devoted to shipbuilding in Saint-Nazaire
• Two cannons from the wreck of the ship Le Juste

Permanent exhibitions

• Paquebot Île-de-France – Permanent exhibition on the liner Île-de-France and its Art Deco décor.
• Paquebot Normandie – Permanent exhibition on French luxury aboard the Normandie.
• Paquebot France – Permanent exhibition on the art of living aboard the liner France.
• La navale à Saint-Nazaire – Permanent exhibition on shipbuilding in Saint-Nazaire.

Founded

1983

Operated by

Association de bénévoles (amicale du musée de Mindin) ; fort propriété de la commune de Saint-Brevin-les-Pins

Admission & discounts

School classes from the Communauté de communes Sud Estuaire enter free of charge.

Accessibility

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

Paths and toilets are adapted, according to the Saint-Brevin tourist office.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Children receive a visit booklet and a games booklet, according to the Pornichet tourist office.

Getting there & parking

The museum has the “Accueil Vélo” label and lies on the Loire à Vélo cycle route: bicycle parking, water point, repair kit and two free bicycle lockers nearby. From July 5 to August 31, a paid shuttle carries cyclists across the Saint-Nazaire bridge; line 317 also carries bicycles all year round (reservation required).

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop (books in particular).

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit