THE GUIDE MUSEUMS 2020/21


neoclassical building in the city centre, dating back to 1903. https://bit.ly/3bFFSh4


Centre de la Mémoire Oradour-sur-Glane, Haute-Vienne This now ruined town in the Limousin was the site of a particularly gruesome chapter in France’s Second World War history. In 1944, after learning that an SS officer had been held captive in the town, the Germans killed a total of 642 people, including 205 children. After the war, Charles de Gaulle decided the village should never be rebuilt – a memorial to the cruelty of the occupying army. Today it is still a ghost town. Entry is via the Centre de la Mémoire which offers a poignant analysis of the tragic episode and its historical context. www.oradour.org


CURIOUS


Even with social distancing, France’s classic museums can get a little crowded. If you need


and there’s an intriguing history behind the place too. During Dunkirk, dozens of French soldiers were killed here in German bombing raids, and towards the end of the war, members of the Resistance were executed here by firing squad. Now dedicated to the various key episodes in its history, it features video installations and interactive displays. fort-des-dunes.fr


Maison Bonaparte in Ajaccio, Corsica, where the Little Corporal was born


a bit of space, try some of the more unorthodox (dare we say quirky?) exhibitions. For the more adventurous visitor, they offer a wealth of intrigue. But where do you start? Fortunately we’ve done the hard work for you. Following on from here is our round-up of France’s lesser-known but still unmissable museums, ranging from a centre dedicated to the legacy of Morvan’s forgotten wet nurses to


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Maison des Canuts is a museum that collects and exhibits traces of Lyon’s industrial development from 1536 until today based on silk produce. guided tours with demonstration of weaving on a loom. The exhibition halls trace the origins of silk, from its discovery in China through the silkworm, the origin of the word Canut, their organization and their revolts, the manufacture of gold threads and silver and the invention of the Jacquard loom.


Maison des Canuts 10 Rue d’Ivry 69004 Lyon France


D-DAY LANDING MUSEUM OF UTAH BEACH - SAINTE MARIE DU MONT www.utah-beach.com - musee@utah-beach.com - +33 (0)2 33 71 53 35


136 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Oct/Nov 2020 FT180.MUSEUMS GUIDE.indd 136 10/09/2020 17:20 +33 4 78 28 62 04


an underground mushroom farm in the Loire Valley. We’re handing you the key – now go forth and open France’s cabinet of curiosities…


Fort des Dunes Leffrinckoucke, Nord


This military fort, originally built in the 1870s, played a particularly significant role during World War Two. Much of what happened here was tragic,


Maison Bonaparte Ajaccio, Corse-du-Sud We’re all familiar with the story of Boney, of course, but did you know that he wasn’t born in mainland France? The Little Corporal instead entered the world in 1769 on the island of Corsica – in the capital city of Ajaccio, to be precise. Head for rue Saint-Charles, and you can see his birthplace for yourself. It’s unassuming on the outside (even for a four-storey building), set in a narrow alley cluttered with shops and outdoor ❯❯


MAISON DES CANUTS


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