Musée du Président Jacques Chirac
Museum in Sarran that holds the diplomatic gifts received by Jacques Chirac and presents the role of the presidents of the Fifth Republic.
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About the museum
The Musée du Président Jacques Chirac opened on December 15, 2000, in Sarran, in the Corrèze department, inaugurated by Jacques Chirac himself. It was designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte around an existing small house and barn, and the neighboring valley was laid out by landscape architect Michel Desvigne. The museum belongs to the Corrèze departmental council, which runs it.
Jacques Chirac gave the department some 5,000 gifts he had received between 1995 and 2007, in an official or personal capacity. They form the museum’s collection. Between 2004 and 2006, an extension brought the total area to 4,700 m² and added a visitable storage area, where several hundred objects are displayed as in a study collection, along with an auditorium and a library tower.
The museum has broadened its mission to show what the office of president of the Republic involves. In 2023, the presidents’ office from the Élysée, the Salon Doré, was reconstructed there. In 2024, the presidential gallery opened with three rooms devoted to the institutions, the travels of heads of state, the symbols of the Republic, and diplomatic gifts given to presidents from Charles de Gaulle to Emmanuel Macron.
Highlights
- Visitable storage area with several hundred diplomatic gifts
- Presidential gallery on the institutions and symbols of the Republic
- Reconstruction of the Salon Doré, the presidents’ office at the Élysée
- Selection of 40 diplomatic gifts from 1958 to 2022
- Presidential cars, including the 1995 Citroën CX Prestige
Permanent exhibitions
- La galerie présidentielle – Three rooms present the French institutions, the travels of heads of state, the symbols of the Republic, and diplomatic gifts offered to presidents of the Fifth Republic.
- La collection Jacques Chirac – Part of the roughly 5,000 gifts received by Jacques Chirac is displayed in the visitable storage area, together with two presidential cars.
- Founded
- 2000
- Operated by
- Conseil départemental de la Corrèze
- Visitors per year
- approx. 24,011 (2024)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4.50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 25 · Free admission for young people up to 26 years old. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities, with proof. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree admission for students, with proof. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €3.50 per personFor groups of 10 or more, reservation is required and the guided visit of the museum is included. For groups of more than 50 people, a welcome speech replaces the guided tour. |
| Pass Corrézien (free admission for the holder; full price for two companions) | free |
| Sédières rate (on presentation of a ticket to the Château de Sédières for the current year) | €3.50 |
| “Sites étonnants” rate (on presentation of the current year’s guide) | €3.50 |
Free admission: Museum Night (mid-May) and European Heritage Days (mid-September)
The full price includes the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Free admission also for recipients of the RSA, job seekers, teachers and group accompanists, with proof. Guided tours available for groups of 3 or more, by reservation. Payment by card, cash, check or chèques-vacances.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
All areas of the museum are accessible to visitors with reduced mobility and to strollers, with an access ramp and an elevator. Wheelchairs are available on request. Pets are not admitted, except assistance animals.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 25 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
The museum offers family activities and programs for young audiences. Strollers for children up to 3 years old can be lent on request, and the restrooms have a baby-changing area.
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking
Free parking near the museum, with an electric vehicle charging point.
For cyclists: three bike stands in front of the entrance, e-bike charging points in the car park and at the cloakroom, and a small repair kit.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Coat check
Bookshop and museum shop open to all during opening hours. Small luggage storage: backpacks must be left at the cloakroom. Four picnic tables on the terrace. The restaurant Le Patati Patata is 200 m away in the village of Sarran (open Wednesday to Sunday).
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography is not permitted in the museum. |
| Good to know | Guided tours available for groups of 3 or more, by reservation. Educational materials are available for school classes from nursery to upper secondary. |
