Imagine stepping back in time. We are standing before the Mus\u00e9e d’art et d’histoire de Saint-Denis. This museum wasn’t always a museum. It was once a Carmelite monastery founded in 1625.
The Mus\u00e9e d’art et d’histoire Paul Eluard is a treasure trove of art and history. It is housed in a 17th-century convent. The building itself is a classified historical monument. This peaceful haven sits between the Basilica and the Stade de France.
Seven nuns from Amiens established the monastery. Marie de M\u00e9dicis laid the first stone of the original church in 1628. The Mus\u00e9e d’art et d’histoire Paul Eluard has been here since 1981.
Fast forward to 1770. The Carmel faced financial ruin. Then, Louise de France arrived. She was the seventh daughter of Louis XV. Her arrival saved the convent. King Louis XV often visited his daughter here. Louise renovated the buildings with her father’s support.
Richard Mique designed a neoclassical chapel. Today, it is a historical monument. From 1895 to about 1983, the chapel served as a public court. The inscription “Justice de Paix” can still be seen on its front.
The Sisters of the Holy Family of the Sacred Heart occupied these buildings until 1959. In 1972, Saint-Denis saved them from destruction. The municipality bought the carmel to create a museum.
The Mus\u00e9e d’art et d’histoire Paul Eluard opened in May 1981. The renovation respected the building’s original architecture. The cloister features tombstones of nuns. Austere cells remain untouched. Mystical sentences accompany visitors throughout their visit.
The Mus\u00e9e d’art et d’histoire Paul Eluard won the European Museum of the Year Award in 1982. It was chosen over forty-two other European candidates. The jury considered it one of the most important museums created since World War II. The sentences painted on the walls are integral to the Carmel’s history. Restored to their original places they echo wisdom.
Louise de France commissioned Richard Mique to rebuild the chapel in 1779. He was an architect of the Court and creator of the Trianon at Versailles. The chapel has a Greek cross plan and a dome. A peristyle with four Ionic columns stands at the entrance. Joseph Deschamps created the interior decorations.
The Mus\u00e9e d’art et d’histoire Paul Eluard houses varied collections. These collections include medieval artifacts. There is also religious art from the Carmel. The museum displays the Hotel-Dieu pharmacy and industrial archaeology. You can find works by Honor\u00e9 Daumier here. Items related to the Siege and Commune of Paris are exhibited too. The museum also has the Francis Jourdain and Paul-u00c9luard collections.
Don’t miss the manuscript of Paul u00c9luard’s poem “Libert\u00e9”. A vase by Pablo Picasso is also displayed. The Mus\u00e9e d’art et d’histoire Paul Eluard also hosts temporary exhibitions.
The Mus\u00e9e d’art et d’histoire Paul Eluard is more than a museum. It is a journey through time. It is a testament to art. It is a place where history and spirituality intertwine. Take a moment to appreciate the layers of history within these walls.