Musée Saint-Nazaire
Municipal museum in the Romanesque Cluniac church of Saint-Nazaire in Bourbon-Lancy: archaeology, fine arts, Sèvres ceramics and contemporary art.
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About the museum
The museum occupies the church of a former Cluniac priory, founded in 1030 by Anséide de Bourbon, the lord to whom the town owes its name. After the priory was destroyed during the Revolution, the building fell into such disrepair that in 1892 the town council considered turning it into a quarry. Senator Ferdinand Sarrien saved it: the church was listed as a historic monument in 1893, restored between 1898 and 1903 and deconsecrated, and the museum was officially established in 1901.
Between 1900 and 1920, Ferdinand Sarrien, who later became minister and président du Conseil (prime minister), secured the deposit of paintings, sculptures and ceramics from French museums, including 132 pieces from the Sèvres ceramics museum in 1907. The museum also holds local archaeological objects and lapidary pieces.
The collections comprise more than 300 works, shown in rotation: paintings by Merlette, studies by Puvis de Chavannes for the Hôtel de Ville de Paris, “Famille de pêcheurs”, works by Rameau and Le Bourg, and sculptures by Barrias, Bouchard and Béguine. Contemporary art exhibitions have been held here since 1981; since 2020 the museum has invited two young artists from the region each year. It has held the “Musée de France” designation since 2003.
Highlights
- 11th-century Romanesque Cluniac church turned into a museum
- Ceramics on loan from the Sèvres museum
- Studies by Puvis de Chavannes for the Hôtel de Ville de Paris
- Paintings by Merlette, Rameau and Le Bourg
- Contemporary art exhibitions in a historic monument
Permanent exhibition
- Collections permanentes – Paintings, sculptures and Sèvres ceramics deposited by the State, local archaeological objects and lapidary pieces in the Romanesque church.
- Founded
- 1901
- Operated by
- Ville de Bourbon-Lancy
Admission & discounts
| Guided museum visit, adult rate (about 2 hours) | €6Departs in front of the museum; see the tourist office schedule. |
|---|---|
| Guided museum visit, ages 7 to 18 | €3 |
| Guided museum visit, under 7 | free |
The admission price for visits without a guided tour is not stated. Guided tours are led by volunteer guides from the tourist office.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum is on Place du Musée in Bourbon-Lancy, near the old town centre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 2 hrs |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours of the Musée Saint-Nazaire are offered by the tourist and spa office and can be booked online. They last about two hours and start from Rue du Musée. |
