Musée de Royan

At the heart of the history of a seaside town,

The building is located in the old Pontaillac market in the heart of a historic district of Royan.

The Museum proposes to retrace the history of Royan through this common thread according to the following themes:

– From the origins to the Empire:
The origins of Royan, between Gironde and Ocean, from the first human occupations, the emergence of a city from Antiquity, the siege of Royan in 1622 and its first destruction during the Wars of Religion until the Revolution.

– Estuary: dangers and guardian angels
The Cordouan Lighthouse, candidate for UNESCO world heritage, the oldest lighthouse in France still in operation, the main stages of its construction, its saving, prestigious, strategic and tourist role.
The story of the Gironde pilots, a social elite guiding ships through the dangers of the estuary.

- Sea baths:
The development of seaside tourism in the 19th century. The birth of the seaside resort from its fishing port, the emergence of Royan, "Pearl of the Ocean," stretching from Pontaillac to the Parc. Posters, souvenirs, and period photographs bear witness to the city's influence.

– Pablo Picasso’s stay in Royan
From 1939 to 1940, around the reproduction of the Café in Royan, presentation of the artist's environment, during the war and the beginnings of the German Occupation.

– The Second World War in Royan
The war years, the Occupation, the Resistance, the "Royan Pocket", the tragic bombings of 1945 and the Liberation.

– The modern city
The resort at its peak: the dolce vita of the Trente Glorieuses. The birth of the International Festival of Contemporary Art and the emergence of a group of regional artists "Expo 5".

-Behind the scenes of the Museum
At the origin of the collections, the Cabinet of Curiosities and the history of the Royan Museum.
Series of rare, unusual or exotic objects…

The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions presented in the central hall of the Museum.