Photo : Flappiefh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Musée des croyances populaires
The Museum of Popular Beliefs occupies the abbatial château of Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille, in the Haute-Loire. The building, first the abbots' residence after the English occupation of the 14th century, was burned during the Wars of Religion and altered in the 16th century. It has been protected as a historic monument since 1966.
The museum is devoted to the intangible rural heritage of the Velay: folk medicine, witchcraft, tales, legends and superstitions. These beliefs, gathered through ethnographic research, are staged with figurines, dioramas and scenes in typical local settings.
It was created by Patrice Rey, a visual artist and scriptwriter, who carries out the research, texts, illustrations, figurines and staging. It appeals to families and those curious about folk traditions, and complements a visit to this characterful village, a stage on the Stevenson Trail.
