Le Mans Country Club
The Tessé Museum, one of the jewels of Le Mans
The city of Le Mans conceals many treasures that your Hotel Le Mans Country Club team enjoy inviting you to discover. The Cité Plantagenêt, the Saint-Julien Cathedral and the Gallo-Roman walls are some of these attractions, along with the Jardin des Plantes and the Reine Bérengère Museum. The Tessé Museum is one of our favourites ...
A piece of history
Housed in the former private mansion of the Tessé family, the museum occupies a privileged position on the edge of the Place des Quinconces and in the magnificent Parc de Tessé. Conceived late in the reign of Louis XVI, the museum finally opened to the public in 1799, thus becoming one of the first museums in France to be accessible to all. At that time the exhibits largely comprised artifacts that were seized during the French Revolution from the clergy and some families of the city. From the start, therefore, the museum possessed astonishingly rich collections.
Superb collections
Why not start with the Egyptian gallery and its stunning recreated sarcophagus chambers? With more than a hundred pieces dating back to the 4th millennium BC, this section presents the finds of the famous 19th century traveller and writer Edouard de Montulé, born in Le Mans. The items he collected in Egypt became a major part of the current collection. The Tessé Museum also boasts an impressive art collection, including works from the Renaissance, Italian primitives, as well as Flemish and Dutch painters. You can also admire beautiful French paintings from the 17th century, landscapes from the 19th century, and a remarkable collection of portraits from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Le Mans invites you to step back in time. From its ancient walls to the 20th century canvases displayed in the Tessé Museum, you can travel through the centuries on foot, passing from the banks of the Sarthe to the museum galleries. Treat yourself to this charming stroll just 15 minutes from your Hotel Le Mans Country Club…
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Photo : © Flickr - jean louis mazieres
Hotel le Mans Country Club, a 4 star hotel - restaurant located at 15 minutes from Mans