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And why not going over and updating the other fine museum of my capital city of Vannes! This is in old town across the street from the St Peter’s Cathedral (see post) , and the area as well as the museum is pretty nice indeed. Therefore, without delay let me tell you a bit more on the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Vannes or Fine Arts Museum of Vannes in the Le Cohue!

Vannes is a small capital city of the beautiful  dept 56 Morbihan in my lovely Bretagne, and in my belle France . For a small capital city it has a lot of punch; starting that its medieval old town center is intact with wooden houses from the 14C, no fires, bombings to report here all naturally beautiful. I believe that I should tell you more about the Fine Arts Museum of Vannes, oh yes we call the La Cohue…!The Fine Arts Museum (beaux-arts) of Vannes known as  La Cohue is located at Place St Pierre (see pic above) and also a back entrance on lovely rue des Halles (see pic below). The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Vannes or Museum of Fine Arts of Vannes or aka La Cohue was created in 1982, is one of the museums of the city of Vannes.

A bit of history I like

Since the Middle Ages, La Cohue, a word of Breton origin  meaning Halles or market used in the middle ages to designate market places in cities, belongs to the Duke of Brittany. Its oldest part dates back to the 13C and the building was enlarged in the 14C and again in the 17C. Located in the heart of the old town facing the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre , the place has two uses: A  ground floor (1st US)  houses the rooms and many stalls; upstairs 1st or 2nd US, sits the Ducal Justice Palace, until 1796. From 1675, the Parliament of Brittany exiled to Vannes held meetings here. La Cohue, welcomes the States of Brittany ten times from 1431 to 1703.  La Cohue, which became the property of the city of Vannes in 1813, was transformed into a theater that was active until the 1950’s. The old building was restored from 1970, before collecting the collections of paintings and engravings from the city and presenting large exhibitions from 1982,its opening to the public.

A bit of description of La Cohue Museum of Fine Arts of Vannes :

On the first floor (2nd US), you will see  today a collection of works representative of the abstraction of the 1950’s  to the present day. Also devoted to the presentation of the works of Geneviève Asse, a Breton painter of international renown, native of Vannes , which allows the visitor to discover the important donation made by the artist to the Museum. Since 2013, a permanent space is devoted to the work of this native artist of Vannes in the upper room of the Museum.  The permanent space also gives a beautiful space to the works of the late 19C and the beginning of the 20C. You will find here as well a collection of polychrome wood sculptures from the 14C and 16C. Set of 18C goldsmith’s pieces, furniture and decorative art objects, and 19-20C prints collection.

The main work that I saw were of Eugène Delacroix “ Christ on the Cross “also “Christ between the two thieves  or the Crucifixion “, 1835. And, Claude Monet “ Rain in Belle-Ile”. You will see as well a rich Breton panorama of romantic landscapes and contemporary compositions.  Other works includes, a collection of polychrome wooden sculptures from the 14C and 16C. Set of 18C goldsmiths ‘ pieces, furniture and decorative art objects. As well as 19-20C prints.

Since 1982, the ground floor (1st US) of 700 m2 receives the works of temporary exhibitions the opportunity to explore the different facets of contemporary plastic creation. La Cohue ,  Museum of Fine Arts affirms an identity strongly rooted in contemporary artistic expression. For just over thirty years, temporary exhibitions have been an opportunity to explore the different facets of living plastic creation. More space is now reserved for temporary exhibitions including the permanent collections of modern and contemporary art of the Fine Arts Museum of Vannes, enriched by the important deposit of the Centre Georges-Pompidou-Musée National d’Art Moderne of Paris and several paintings of private collectors, offering visitors a rich panorama of the painting of the second half of the 20C. Nice indeed!

The city of Vannes on the museum: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/vannesloisirs/musees/musee-des-beaux-arts-la-cohue/

The friends of the fine arts museum webpage: http://amis-museedevannes.fr/informations-pratiques/

There you go folks, another nice gem in my backyard that I am sure will be a pleasure for all to see, and be surprise of the beauty of museums we have outside of Paris. The Fine Arts Museum (Beaux-Arts) or La Cohue is worth the detour. Hope you enjoy the post as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

And I come back to my capital city of Vannes to update this older post that needs a refresh on links and text. This was a rather unexpected visit as was thinking more of a castle in old town and turn out to be a very nice museum as well. Hope you enjoy the museum of History and Archeology of Vannes! in the Château Gaillard!

The city has lots of offering and genuine architecture as it suffered no damage in the last two great wars in France. Wooden houses here go back to the 14C! originals!  However, in the all to see and do, there are things that are just a must to see. The Musée d’Histoire et Archeologie de Vannes or the Museum of History and Archeology in the wonderful Castle of Gaillard!. The former hotel of the Parliament of Brittany or Château-Gaillard, is a former mansion located  at Rue Noé . Built in the early 15C, Château-Gaillard has been hosting the city’s History and Archaeology Museum since 2000.

The museum of History and Archeology (musée d’histoire et d’archéologie) is house in  the wonderful historical Chateau Gaillard from the 15C in stones while the rest of the town at the time was in wood! The original owner of the lot was a Gaillard Tournemine so there goes the name of the castle. In 1457 it was the auditorium of the Parliament of Brittany! and home of the President. The castle has four levels and all connected by a stair in stone. The street level room opens to the garden connecting  it with the Hôtel de Roscanvec ,and has two monumental chimneys. First floor (2nd US) has wooden decorations, and the 2nd floor (3rd US) has the library of the Societé Polymathique du Morbihan (SPM)  where it has installed the collections of its museum here in 1912. The SPM is the current owners and the management is handle by the city of Vannes.  Wonderful arts in a medieval setting!!

A bit of history I like

The Gaillard castle is built on land originally owned by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. Built in 1410 by Jean de Malestroit, Bishop of Saint-Brieuc between 1406 and 1419 and Nantes between 1419 and 1443, Chancellor of duke Jean V since 1408, this medieval mansion passes through several families before being redeemed in 1457 by the Duke of Brittany. It is in this sovereign Court that the Duke’s vassals vote taxes. In 1485, duke François II entrusted the role of States in litigation to a Court of Justice, Parliament of Brittany. The Castle then serves as an audience in Parliament as well as a home to the President. The Castle will remain the seat of the administration of Parliament until 1535, three years after the signing of the Treaty of Union of Brittany to France, voted by the States of Brittany in 1532.  In 1912, the Société polymatique du Morbihan bought the Château-Gaillard and entrusted it to the city of Vannes in 2000 in order to create a Museum of History and Archaeology that allows the preservation and presentation to the public of its collections. The former castle of the Parliament of Brittany consists of two houses with mullioned windows, served by a spiral staircase located in a polygonal stone tower. At the rear, another, narrower, screw staircase serves the various levels. This building is adorned with Renaissance paintings and woodworks and a coffered ceiling. The roof is supported by a hull boat frame.

The Museum of History and Archaeology presents permanent collections of archaeology. The museum database lists 74 pieces classified as historical monuments in the Museum.  By visiting the Museum, you discover other architectural treasures. In the room of the apparat, the monumental chimney captures the gaze but it is also necessary to look up to admire the painted woodwork of the 15C. In the next room, one enters the bedroom to the decors of the 17C. And, after a spiral staircase in stone, one reaches the jewel: the room of the fathers of the desert. This 17C work room is decorated with 57 painted wood panels and nine canvases, on the theme of hermits and the life of Christ. From an anonymous author, the works are inspired by the engravings of the Sadeler brothers and compose a unique ensemble in Brittany.

The Société polymatique du Morbihan ( Morbihan polymatic society), a scholarly society created in 1826. These scholars were among the first in France to embark, around 1860, in a new science, developed in Egypt: Archaeology. Their museum thus contains unique pieces in the world, discovered especially in the major Neolithic sites of Morbihan such as in Carnac, Locmariaquer, Arzon, Gavrinis, but also Gallo-Roman remains discovered in Vannes. The curiosity of the polymers was limitless: nearly 40,000 pieces compose their collections. The city proposes, through 400 objects, a panorama of these treasures. Fossils, minerals, herbals, seashells, exotic birds, Oceania adorns, Carthaginian funeral urts or the last wolf of Vannes!  All wonderful for the visitor to enjoy, a must in Vannes!

The city of Vannes on its museum and the one above (see post on the other one) : http://en.mairie-vannes.fr/living-invannes/culture-in-vannes/museums/

The Gulf of Morbihan tourist office on the museum: https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/fiche/musee-d-histoire-et-d-archeologie-chateau-gaillard/

There you go folks, all updated for you and me. Its a treasure to be seen, a must when visiting Vannes or nearby areas. it is our favorite museum here, and we go in in several occasions  and by it every week. The Chateau Gaillard is wonderful as it is and when you add the Museum of History and Archeology is a combination to come see now.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!