Name: Exhibitions at the Customs House
Start: 2026-04-04
End: 2026-11-01
Location: Saint-Palais-sur-Mer

Culture

04 April 01 November 2026

Saint-palais-sur-mer

2 €

For its second life, the Customs House of Saint-Palais-sur-Mer is dedicated to contemporary art. Each year, an artist appropriates the place to exhibit his works during a temporary exhibition. The Royan Atlantique Agglomeration Community is bringing this building back to life by renovating it and dedicating it to artistic creation in a unique natural space opening onto the mouth of the Gironde estuary.

On display this year

Join us on Saturday, April 4th at the Customs House to discover the new photo exhibition "Vincent Munier, the Art of Patience".

Photographer of vast wilderness areas, Vincent Munier captures the fragile beauty of the world with rare intensity. Awarded at Caesar 2026 for his documentary film "The Song of the Forests" (best documentary and best sound), he has been pursuing patient work for years, as close as possible to living things and the animal world.

With " The Art of Patience"We embark on a contemplative journey, from the vast landscapes to the thrill of rare moments captured in silence. A poetic immersion where the gaze slows, where nature reveals itself, and where each image tells a story of encounter. An exhibition to contemplate from April 4th to November 1st."

More information about the exhibition and activities

Stag and does - photograph by Vincent Munier — Stag and does – photograph by Vincent Munier, © Vincent Munier

Squirrel - photograph by Vincent Munier — Stag and does – photograph by Vincent Munier, © Vincent Munier

Arctic - photograph by Vincent Munier — Arctic – photograph by Vincent Munier, © Vincent Munier

The Customs House, over time

In the XNUMXth century, the Ferme Générale set up an office above the conch of Saint-palais-sur-mer for the collection of trading rights on behalf of the King of France. Placed on a promontory, it controls the maritime traffic on the estuary, in particular the contraband.

After the French Revolution, the Ferme Générale disappeared and its office thus became the Customs Office. The town is then renamed Bureau-les-Bains (it will take the name of Saint-Palais-sur-Mer in 1920). Brigades borrow the Customs Trail to monitor the Atlantic coast. The building is occupied by customs until 2006 and will then be decommissioned.

Customs house in Saint Palais sur Mer — The Customs House Customs House in Saint Palais sur Mer, © Julia Hasse

The Royan Atlantique Agglomeration Community finally became the owner of the building in 2007 and decided in 2012 to transform it into cultural center dedicated to art and heritage. The Customs House then opens its doors to the public on 1^er July 2017.

One season, one artist

For its first edition, the Customs House welcomes the wooden sculptures of Jephan de Villers. Thousands of figures seeming to come from a distant civilization invade the exhibition space.

In 2018, the contemporary artist Alben revisits Pop Art with creations diverting everyday life.

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Exhibition Titouan Lamazou

In 2019, the artist and navigator Titouan Lamazou shares with the public his travel diaries as well as these portraits of Women of the World.

In 2021, it is the “multist” artist CharlÉlie Couture who takes over the Maison des Douanes. He exhibits his works between photos and paintings.

In 2022, the Corto Maltese exhibition pays tribute to its author Hugo Pratt.

Hugo Pratt Exhibition Hugo Pratt exhibition, © Julia Hasse

In 2023, the exhibition "A Secret Garden" was a resounding success. This exhibition arose from a meeting between two artists, Rebecca Louise Law and Ayline Olukman. Their works resonate with each other in a unique dialogue on nature and femininity. Each artist reveals, through monumental floral installations, paintings, photographs, and sculptures, her definition of the secret garden.

2024 celebrates Jackie Kennedy's love for France through a series of photographs, personal belongings, and documentaries. Visitors are immersed in the family's private life and discover a little-known side of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy: a woman who was both fragile and determined. The exhibition, "Jackie, the Kennedys' America," is inspired by David Lawrence's album.

Jackie Kennedy Exhibition Jackie Kennedy exhibition, © Julia Hasse

Jackie Kennedy at the Customs House — Jackie Kennedy Exhibition Jackie Kennedy exhibition, © Julia Hasse

In 2025, the Customs House will pay tribute to Vivian Maier, an American street photographer whose work remained largely unknown during her lifetime. Employed as a housekeeper in New York and then Chicago, Vivian Maier immortalized scenes of everyday life with her Rolleiflex camera, capturing the essence of urban life in the 20th century.

Vivian Maier Exhibition at the Customs House — Vivian Maier Exhibition at the Custom House, © Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy of Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery NY

It was only in 2007 that her incredible collection, comprising more than 120,000 photographs, was discovered by chance, revealing her extraordinary talent and making her an essential figure in street photography.

The exhibition “Vivian Maier, at the edge of the world” highlights his 1959 world tour, revealing previously unseen photos from this chapter of his life.