Le Grand Atelier, musée d'art et d'industrie

Le Grand Atelier occupies part of the former Manufacture d’Armes in Châtellerault and is labelled Musée de France. The museum presents industrial heritage alongside art and a large Auto–Moto–Vélo collection.

Exhibitions spread across about 3,000 m² in three main spaces: Auto–Moto–Vélo, the Manufacture d’armes (industrial and social history) and the Cabaret du Chat Noir programming area. The site is on the La Manu historic complex.

A mix of industrial history displays and a substantial vehicle collection that traces mobility from early cycles to late 20th‑century cars.

Look out for:

• More than 200 vehicles and related objects in the Auto–Moto–Vélo gallery.

• Exhibits about the Manufacture d’Armes and the factory’s role in local social history.

• Period machinery, workshop displays and documentary panels explaining production techniques.

• Rotating exhibitions and cultural programming in the Cabaret du Chat Noir space.

Best way to experience it:

Allow 1.5–2 hours to see the main galleries, focus first on the Auto–Moto–Vélo collection for a chronological view, then follow the industrial history route to understand the site’s manufacturing heritage. Use the museum leaflet or onsite labels for object dates and provenance.

• Located at 3 Rue Clément Krebs on the La Manu historic site.

• Museum is labelled Musée de France and housed in a listed building.

• Accessible parking available (Parking Henri Roy behind the museum) and accessibility information is published locally.

• For contact or specific visitor details, consult Grand Châtellerault municipal pages or Tourisme Vienne listings.