Musée napoléonien de l'île d'Aix
Museum housed in the building where Napoleon spent his last days in France, in July 1815, with memorabilia and objects of the imperial legend.
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About the museum
The museum building was built in 1808–1809 for the commander of the garrison of the Île d'Aix. Napoleon, defeated at Waterloo, stayed there from 8 to 15 July 1815 before surrendering to the English and leaving France for good. The Emperor's house has been listed as a monument historique since 1925, and its gardens since 1934.
Baron Napoléon Gourgaud (1891–1944), great-grandson of a companion of the Emperor on Saint Helena, bought the house. Thanks to the fortune of his wife, the American Eva Gebhard, he assembled many historical memorabilia, supplemented by gifts from friends from the nobility of the Empire. He opened his Napoleonic museum as early as 1928 and gave it to the State in 1933, while keeping the usufruct.
After the death of his widow in 1959, the museum was attached to the Musée national de Malmaison. It was reorganised in 1970–1971, then presented again in 1994–1995. Each of its ten rooms is devoted to a theme: the life of the Emperor and his entourage, the history of the Île d'Aix, the Gourgaud family, or the Napoleonic legend that marked the whole of the 19th century. It holds furniture, weapons, clothing, portraits and various objects of the period.
Highlights
- The house where Napoleon spent his last days in France
- The Emperor's room with yellow hangings
- Ten thematic rooms on the Emperor, his entourage and the Napoleonic legend
- Furniture, weapons, clothing and portraits
- The gardens of the Emperor's house
Permanent exhibition
- Les dix salles du musée napoléonien – Each room is devoted to a theme: the life of the Emperor and his entourage, the history of the Île d'Aix, the Gourgaud family and the Napoleonic legend.
- Founded
- 1928
- Operated by
- État, rattaché au musée national de Malmaison
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
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| Reduced | €4 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 25 · Free for under-26s resident in the European Union. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personPer-person rate for groups of 10 or more. |
Free admission: The first Sunday of every month.
A single ticket gives access to the Napoleonic museum and the African museum of the Île d'Aix.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 45 min |
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| Kids’ admission | free up to age 25 |
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Débarcadère de l'île d'Aix · 200 m
Boat from the Pointe de la Fumée in Fouras to the Île d'Aix (crossing about 20 minutes).
The island is practically free of cars: the museums are reached on foot, by bike or by horse-drawn carriage from the landing stage. Boat timetables at service-maritime-iledaix.com.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | The visit duration indicated for the museums of the Île d'Aix is about 45 minutes. Booking on the Affluences platform is recommended; groups book by email with the administration (regie.ile-aix@rmngp.fr). |
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