Musée Raymond Pillon
Museum of palaeontology, prehistory and local archaeology in a former chapel in Chaumont-en-Vexin, open on Saturdays from April to November.
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About the museum
The museum presents the collections of Raymond Pillon (1889–1977), a self-taught shoemaker who became a respected amateur palaeontologist and prehistorian of the Vexin. After the First World War he settled in Chaumont-en-Vexin, discovered prehistoric sites, published his work, gathered thousands of fossils from Eocene deposits and gave lectures. At the end of his life he bequeathed his collections to the commune, which he regarded as part of the local heritage.
The collections were first shown to the public in 1993 in the Salle du Patrimoine of the town hall, a former chapel of the 17th-century Récollets convent, and became a permanent exhibition in 1996. More than a thousand fossils (shells, sea urchins, corals, shark teeth) evoke the warm seas that covered the region 80 to 35 million years ago. Several hundred flint tools illustrate prehistory, and the archaeology and history section spans the Gallo-Roman period to the Renaissance, with reconstructions of seals of the local nobility, architectural models and old town plans.
The museum has held the “Musée de France” label since 2003 and is run by volunteers from the Office de la Culture.
Highlights
- More than 1,000 fossils from the warm seas of the Vexin (shells, sea urchins, corals, shark teeth)
- Several hundred prehistoric flint tools
- Original murals on the history of life and the evolution of humankind
- Local archaeology from the Gallo-Roman period to the Renaissance
- Visits led by volunteers, in a former 17th-century chapel
Permanent exhibition
- Collections de Raymond Pillon – Palaeontology (more than a thousand fossils), prehistory (flint tools), and local archaeology and history, with original murals in the palaeontology and prehistory rooms.
- Founded
- 1993
- Operated by
- Office de la Culture de Chaumont-en-Vexin
Admission & discounts
| Groups | €5 per personGuided group visit on weekdays by appointment (€5 per person). |
|---|
The price for free visits is not stated on the official page.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
An audio resource, “Le petit archéologue du Vexin”, is aimed at young visitors. The museum also welcomes children’s groups.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & 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 |
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| Good to know | Volunteers guide visitors. Groups can book a guided visit on weekdays by email. An audio resource for children, “Le petit archéologue du Vexin”, is available online. |
