Musée de la Résistance bretonne

About the museum

The museum opened in 1984 in Saint-Marcel in Morbihan, on the very spot where one of Brittany's largest maquis had formed in June 1944. On June 18, 1944, around 2,000 Breton resistance fighters and 150 SAS paratroopers of the Free French fought German troops in the Battle of Saint-Marcel. Since 1994 the site has also housed a national exhibition on the Free French paratroopers.

Closed in 2019 for a complete renovation, the museum reopened in September 2021 with an entirely redesigned display. The 1,000 m² route is organised around a large patio decorated with a Cross of Lorraine and presents around 1,000 objects selected from more than 12,000 items in the collection: weapons, vehicles, uniforms, deportee clothing and everyday objects.

The visit follows a chronological order in four sequences: the illusion of Brittany as a refuge in 1940, the organisation of the resistance movements, armed struggle and the Liberation in 1944–1945, and reconstruction after the war. Interactive terminals, projections and life-size reconstructions, such as a street under the Occupation or the interior of a blockhouse, accompany the collections. The museum holds the “Musée de France” label and is run by the museum department of the De l’Oust à Brocéliande community of municipalities.

Highlights

• Chronological route in four sequences on the Resistance in Brittany
• Around 1,000 objects on display: weapons, vehicles, uniforms, a deportee's clothing
• Life-size reconstructions (street under the Occupation, interior of a blockhouse)
• 6-hectare park with picnic area and 5 km memory trail
• Site of the Battle of Saint-Marcel on June 18, 1944

Founded

1984

Operated by

De l’Oust à Brocéliande Communauté (service Musée)

Admission & discounts

Prices valid until December 31, 2026. Admission is free for under-18s, holders of the museum's donor card, the Bretagne Musées card, the Morbihan Tourisme card, museum friends, professional guides and holders of the AGCCPF card. Tickets are valid only on the day of purchase, and exit is final. Payment by cash, cheque, card or ANCV holiday vouchers (chèques-vacances).

Accessibility

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

The museum holds the French state label “Tourisme et Handicap” for all four disability types (hearing, intellectual, motor and visual). The visit is on one level along a route of about 300 m with rest areas; there is reserved parking near the entrance, the reception is reached by a ramp, and two wheelchairs are lent free of charge at reception. Induction loops are at reception and near the multimedia content, the toilets have light alarms, and there is an adapted visitor booklet. Adapted mediation is available on reservation.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

A quiz booklet, word searches, crosswords, an introduction to Morse code and questionnaires for 9–12 year olds and 13–15 year olds are available to download. Workshops and activities during school holidays (for example making an armband, cryptography, a photo rally in the park). Interactive content along the route and the 5 km outdoor trail “Mémoire de pierre”.

Getting there & parking

By car: from Vannes, or from Ploërmel and Rennes, take the N166 and leave at the D112 (Bohal-Pleucadeuc / Saint-Marcel – Malestroit), then follow the Saint-Marcel direction and the museum signs. The museum is linked by a traffic-free path to the centre of Saint-Marcel, the Mauron–Questembert greenway and the Nantes–Brest canal. Vannes is 30 minutes away, Rennes 1 hour and Nantes 1 hour 40 minutes.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant: not available
• Coat check
• Lockers

Free lockers at the entrance and a drinks machine in the hall. There is no restaurant in the museum; one is right nearby, and the park has a picnic area. Bags are not allowed in the rooms for groups.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit