Musée de la Vieille Paroisse

About the museum

The museum occupies the Vieille Paroisse, a deconsecrated church and the oldest monument in Rochefort; its earliest parts date back to the 12th century. Today the building is the seat of the Société de Géographie de Rochefort, the oldest learned society in the region, which descends from the Société de littérature, sciences et arts founded in 1806.

Since 1979 the church has housed the society's archaeological collections, which span from the Neolithic to the 18th century. Highlights include an exceptional statue of a “Vieillard de l'Apocalypse” (Old Man of the Apocalypse), ornaments made of bone and shells, Bronze Age tools, utensils from salt-production sites, early Christian ceramics and 18th-century tableware from Saintonge.

Panels, brochures and QR codes guide visitors. The society also holds an important documentary collection and organises temporary exhibitions accompanied by brochures; it sells its twice-yearly bulletin Roccafortis and publications on local history.

Highlights

• Former church whose oldest parts date from the 12th century
• Archaeological collections from the Neolithic to the 18th century
• Statue of an Old Man of the Apocalypse
• Bronze Age tools and utensils from salt-production sites
• Free self-guided visit on Wednesday afternoons

Permanent exhibition

• Collections archéologiques de la Société de Géographie – Archaeological objects from the Neolithic to the 18th century, displayed in the former church, including a statue of an Old Man of the Apocalypse.

Founded

1979

Operated by

Société de Géographie de Rochefort

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free self-guided visit. Group visits outside Wednesdays may be charged.

Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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