Musée ornithologique Charles-Payraudeau
Musée de France housed at the rear of the town hall, which holds the collection of stuffed birds of the naturalist Charles Payraudeau.
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About the museum
Benjamin Charles Payraudeau (1798–1865) was born in La Réorthe and grew up in La Chaize-le-Vicomte. After his studies at the Lycée Napoléon in La Roche-sur-Yon, he joined the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle in Paris, where his passion for ornithology and zoology developed. In 1824 and 1825, during an expedition to Corsica, he compiled an inventory of the island’s fauna and described previously unknown species, including Audouin’s gull and the cormoran huppé de Desmarest.
His collection, which he continued to enlarge throughout his life, was bequeathed to the municipality of La Chaize-le-Vicomte in 1868. After many years of neglect, it was restored and installed in its present location in the town hall on May 9, 1994. The museum holds the “Musée de France” label and is run by the municipality and by the association “Les Amis du Musée Ornithologique Charles Payraudeau”, which also offers guided tours.
The collection comprises around 2,000 stuffed birds from around the world: nearly 1,200 come from the Western Palearctic, mainly Western Europe, and around 800 from the Southern Hemisphere (Africa, South America, Australia). Nearly 400 specimens are on public display. The holdings also include 71 species of marine and land molluscs.
Highlights
- Around 2,000 stuffed birds, nearly 400 of them on public display
- Collection bequeathed to the municipality in 1868 by the naturalist Charles Payraudeau
- Audouin’s gull and cormoran huppé de Desmarest, species described by Payraudeau
- 71 species of marine and land molluscs
- Visit with audio guide or visitor sheet in French, English and Portuguese
Permanent exhibition
- Collection d'oiseaux naturalisés Charles Payraudeau – Permanent display of around 400 stuffed birds from Europe and the Southern Hemisphere, from the naturalist’s bequest, together with molluscs.
- Operated by
- Commune de La Chaize-le-Vicomte
- Visitors per year
- approx. 1,088
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 18 · Free for visitors up to 18 years old. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €2 per personFrom 10 people. |
Free admission: European Heritage Days (free admission in 2026).
Payment by check or cash only; no card payment.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is on the upper floor and is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum is located in the town hall; access is through the rear of the building, 4 rue des Noyers.
Get directionsAmenities & 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
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (FR) |
| Good to know | Visits are made with an audio guide in French (about 30 minutes, at no extra charge, against deposit of an identity document) or with a visitor sheet available in French, English and Portuguese. Group visits and information are handled by the association “Les Amis du Musée Ornithologique”. |
