Musée de la vie rurale et forestière
Museum in Saint-Michel in the Thiérache, housed in the former outbuildings of the abbey and focused on forestry, milk and basketry.
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About the museum
The Musée de la vie rurale et forestière is housed in the former outbuildings of the Abbey of Saint-Michel, a farm complex from the 19th and 20th centuries built of brick. The Benedictine abbey, founded in 945, forms a single visitor site together with the museum.
The project for a museum of Haute-Picardie was supported by the mixed development syndicate for the Thiérache. The collections were assembled through surveys by the Musée national des arts et traditions populaires and through local contacts with the founders.
The museum presents the identity of the Thiérache through agriculture and forestry. Three local activities are highlighted: forestry and timber processing, cattle farming and dairy processing, and osier cultivation with basketry. More than 15,000 objects are kept here.
Highlights
- Forestry and timber processing
- Cattle farming and dairy processing
- Osier cultivation and basketry
- More than 15,000 objects from rural life
- Neighboring Benedictine abbey and its organs
Permanent exhibitions
- Vannerie et culture de l'osier – Tools and objects related to osier cultivation and basketry, a traditional activity of the Thiérache.
- Exploitation forestière et travail du bois – Collections devoted to forest use and timber processing.
- Élevage et transformation du lait – Objects from rural life related to cattle farming and dairy processing.
- Visitors per year
- approx. 3,187
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €2.90free up to age 12 · Free for ages 0 to 12; €2.90 for ages 13 to 18. |
| Groups (20+ people) | €1.80 per personGroups of 20 to 50 people. |
Admission of €5 gives access to both the abbey and the museum. Payment in cash, by bank check or by bank transfer.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
An elevator is signposted on the site.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 12 |
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking
Free parking. Address of the abbey: 8 rue du Chamiteau, 02830 Saint-Michel.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
The visitor site has a shop and, according to the tourist office, a restaurant; an equipped meeting room is also available.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
An equipped meeting room is listed by the Thiérache tourist office.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Individual visit of about one hour; guided tours available on request, for individuals as well as groups. Dogs on a leash are welcome. |
