Musée Paul Pastre

About the museum

The idea for the museum arose after Paul Pastre, a lover of local history and archaeology, discovered two Gallo-Roman altars in the ruins of the château of Marsillargues. The château had been bought by the commune after a fire in 1936 destroyed part of the building. Four villagers, including Paul Pastre, then decided to keep the objects worth preserving, and many residents donated their own old objects.

The museum is housed in the lower rooms of the château, whose north-wing façade is one of the finest Renaissance achievements in the South of France. Some 400 m² of exhibition space spread across four rooms and two corridors present local history through a few figures from the village: Guillaume de Nogaret, Fernand Janin and Louis Uni, known as Apollon.

Each room is devoted to one or two themes: Camargue traditions, viticulture and the cooperative winery, crafts of the past, history of the château and everyday objects. The museum is run together with the association Les Amis du Musée et du Château de Marsillargues.

Highlights

• Objects from the Petite Camargue, including the costume of Angèle Vernet, the first Queen of Arles elected in 1930
• Room devoted to viticulture and the cooperative winery
• Crafts of the past: bourrelier (saddler), tournelier, sabotier (clog maker)
• Gallo-Roman altars and an 18th-century sedan chair in the château room
• Paintings by Fernand Janin

Permanent exhibitions

• Camargue autrefois – Objects related to the crafts and domestic and agricultural activities of the Petite Camargue, including Angèle Vernet’s costume and the bull Tigre, twice winner of the Biou d’or.
• Viticulture et cave coopérative – Room on the history of the vine and the cooperative winery of Marsillargues.
• Le château – Funerary stelae, Gallo-Roman altars, old plans, photographs and a sedan chair from the early 18th century, to understand the history of the château.

Founded

1949

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

By car: take the Lunel or Gallargues exit of the A9, 8 km away; route nationale 113, 3 km away.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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