Musée Marguerite-Yourcenar
Museum in Saint-Jans-Cappel devoted to Marguerite Yourcenar's childhood at Mont-Noir, with a reconstruction of her American study.
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About the museum
Marguerite Cleenewerck de Crayencour, whose anagram is Yourcenar, spent her summer holidays at Mont-Noir, where her family owned a château, from 1903 to 1913. In 1977 the schoolteacher Louis Sonneville sent the writer, who was then living in the United States, hyacinth bulbs and soil from the family estate. A long correspondence followed, which led to the idea of a museum.
The municipal museum opened on 29 September 1985, and the writer visited it on 3 May 1986. It is run by the Friends of the Marguerite Yourcenar Museum association, founded in 1986, and staffed by volunteers.
The permanent route has three rooms. The first evokes the writer's childhood through photographs and original documents. The second reconstructs her study at Petite Plaisance in the United States, where she wrote Mémoires d'Hadrien and L'Œuvre au noir. The last recounts her election to the Académie française and her commitment to ecology and animal protection; a documentary features extracts from interviews.
Highlights
- Photographs and original documents on Marguerite Yourcenar's childhood at Mont-Noir
- Reconstruction of her study at Petite Plaisance
- Room on her election to the Académie française and her ecological commitment
- Documentary based on interviews with the writer
Permanent exhibition
- Exposition permanente Marguerite Yourcenar – Three rooms devoted to the writer's childhood, to the reconstruction of her study at Petite Plaisance and to her election to the Académie française.
- Founded
- 1985
- Operated by
- Commune de Saint-Jans-Cappel ; gestion par l'association des Amis du musée Marguerite Yourcenar
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1.50Job seekers, with proof |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Free for children under 12. |
| Groups | €3 per personGuided group visit: €30 per group of 15 visitors, plus €3 admission per person; up to 2 groups of 15 people; request at least 8 days in advance. |
| Guided group visit (per group of 15 visitors, in addition to admission) | €30Subject to volunteer availability |
Free admission for members of the Friends of Marguerite Yourcenar association. The museum's educational offer is listed on the Pass Culture website.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Saint-Jans-Cappel, place
Train to Bailleul, then bus to the square in Saint-Jans-Cappel.
By car: A25 motorway, exit 11 Meteren.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
A bookshop stocks most of Marguerite Yourcenar's works.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Every Thursday from 14:00 to 16:30, a volunteer offers a guided tour in Dutch or French. Hyacinth Trail (Sentier des Jacinthes) and literary walks for groups, by reservation. |
