Musée du Catharisme

About the museum

The Maison des Mémoires, also known as the Maison Fuzier, was built in the late 1860s by Pierre Abraham Édouard Vidal, owner of a spinning mill and a wool dealer. The house then passed by inheritance to several notable Mazamet families, including that of Albert Rouvière, mayor of the town in 1896 and 1900. The town of Mazamet bought the house in the 1970s.

A local history museum, and later the municipal library, were housed there until 1994. In the 2000s, two parlours on the first floor were redesigned in 19th-century style. The Musée du Catharisme opened in 2005, the municipal archives in 2006, and the room of castle models was created in 2011.

On the second floor, the museum presents Cathar faith and medieval Occitan society through illustrated panels, texts, copies of parchments, videos, tablets and models. It explains that the Cathars rejected the material representation of the sacred, so that there are no Cathar objects or monuments in the strict sense. The route follows the ‘bons hommes’ and ‘bonnes femmes’, their rituals, the crusade and the Inquisition.

The first floor houses the 19th-century parlours, devoted to the history of delaining (removing wool from sheepskins), which made Mazamet a world capital of this activity, as well as temporary exhibitions.

Highlights

• Trail on the Cathars: beliefs, rituals, the crusade and the Inquisition
• Room of models of the castles of the Pays Cathare (Lastours, Puivert, Puilaurens, Saissac, Minerve)
• 19th-century parlours of the Maison des Mémoires devoted to delaining
• Audio guide and children's game trail in the Wivisites app
• Tourisme et Handicap label for all four types of disability

Permanent exhibitions

• Musée du Catharisme – Route on the second floor of the Maison des Mémoires on Cathar faith, its rituals, the crusade against the Cathars and the Inquisition.
• Salle des maquettes – Reproductions of major sites of the Pays Cathare, such as the castles of Lastours, Puivert, Puilaurens and Saissac or the town of Minerve, free to access.
• Le délainage – 19th-century parlours of the Maison des Mémoires devoted to delaining, the activity that made Mazamet famous.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Ville de Mazamet

Admission & discounts

Adult €6, reduced rate €5, half price €3 (children aged 12 to 15, students, unemployed people, people with disabilities). The parlours of the Maison des Mémoires, the room of castle models and temporary exhibitions are free to visit. School rate: €2 per child, free for establishments in Mazamet. The museum is one of the sites linked to the Carte Pass des Incontournables en Occitanie, which gives reduced rates.

Accessibility

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

In March 2018 the museum received the Tourisme et Handicap label for all four types of disability. A reserved parking space leads to the entrance by a ramp, and the museum is served by secure staircases and a lift. Walking-stick seats and a wheelchair are lent. A guide in Braille is available, three raised-relief panels line the route, and magnifying glasses are lent on request. The videos have French and English subtitles, and a hearing loop is available at reception. Adapted guided tours and workshops are possible by reservation.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

For children aged 8 and over, a playful visit is offered in the Wivisites app's game trail, or with a free educational booklet available at reception. The youngest have a children's corner with coloring sheets, games and magazines. The room of castle models appeals to children. School classes receive an age-appropriate booklet, and two workshops on the Middle Ages are offered.

Getting there & parking

The museum holds the Accueil Vélo label for cyclists: bike racks in front of the building, a secure room, a repair kit, battery charging and bag storage. It is less than 5 minutes from the entrance to the Voie Verte Passa Païs greenway, on the Véloccitanie cycle network.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit