Musée du palais des Évêques
Former bishops' palace of the Couserans, now a museum that traces 2,000 years of local history and gives access to the Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède cathedral and its Renaissance paintings.
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Over het museum
Perched on the heights of Saint-Lizier, the bishops' palace was built and embellished from the 11th to the 18th century by the bishops of the Couserans, who also had the Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède cathedral built. Around 1808, the former palace became a poorhouse (dépôt de mendicité), and later the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Lizier.
Today the site houses the collections of the Musée départemental de l'Ariège. The route begins in antiquity, with archaeological remains found on site, such as amphorae and ceramics, as well as the Saint-Girons coin hoard, made up of 13,000 coins. A facsimile helps visitors understand the ancient rampart of the town.
The floors above present the construction of the palace and the town, with models and tactile displays. One level is devoted to the cathedral, often called the “Sistine Chapel of the Ariège” for its Renaissance wall paintings, and tells the story of their discovery and restoration. The visit also evokes the people of the Bethmale valley in the 19th century, with costumes and clogs from the Bégouën collection, and a room devoted to the palace's psychiatric past.
Hoogtepunten
- Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède cathedral and its Renaissance paintings
- Saint-Girons coin hoard (13,000 coins)
- Ancient archaeological finds and facsimile of the rampart
- Costumes and clogs from the Bethmale valley
- Room on the palace's psychiatric past
- Terraces with views of the Pyrenees
Vaste collectie
- Parcours muséographique, de l'Antiquité à nos jours – Ancient remains, models of the town and palace, and objects from the history of the Couserans.
- La cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède – Presentation of the Renaissance paintings, their discovery and their restoration.
- Le passé psychiatrique du palais – Room set in the former isolation cells, evoking the daily life of patients in the psychiatric hospital.
- Beheerder
- Sites Touristiques Ariège
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | € 10 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | € 8,40Students under 26. |
| Kinderen & jongeren | € 7gratis t/m 4 jaar · Children aged 5 to 17; free for children under 5. |
| Mensen met een beperking | –begeleider gratis · 20% discount on the basic rate for holders of a disability card. |
| Studenten | € 8,40Students under 26. |
| Gezinnen | € 28Family pass for 2 adults and 2 children; each additional child: €5.10. |
Guided tours are included in the admission ticket. The companion of a person in a wheelchair enters free of charge. Payment methods: cash, cheque (with ID), bank card and holiday vouchers (chèques-vacances). Online ticketing is available at all times.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk: niet aanwezig
- Lift: geen informatie
- Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
- Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
The website states that the site is not accessible to people with motor disabilities. Some areas are difficult to reach. Tactile devices are integrated into the route.
Kinderen & gezin
| Bezoekduur | ca. 1,5 uur |
|---|---|
| Toegang kinderen | gratis t/m 4 jaar |
| Gezinsticket | € 28 · Family pass for 2 adults and 2 children; each additional child: €5.10. |
- Doe- en voelstations
A modern and playful route with interactive and tactile devices, including an interactive table where children can play at being explorers and restorers. Family pass: €28.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met de auto
Gratis parkeren
Free parking on site, accessible to motorhomes during opening hours.
The palace is located on Route de Montjoie, on the heights of Saint-Lizier.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Museumwinkel
The shop opens at the same times as the palace.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.
Je bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja · duur ca. 60 min. |
|---|---|
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
| Goed om te weten | The visit takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Guided tours are included in the ticket, from April to November; from March 28 to November 1, a themed tour takes place every Saturday and Sunday at 14:30, lasting 1 hour. Animals are not admitted, even on a leash. A visit map can be downloaded. |



