Opening of the Musée des Métiers d’Antan APRIL – SEPTEMBER From Wednesday 15 April to Sunday 20 September inclusive, from 1pm to 6pm . Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

A77 exit 19, direction Gien, Bourges – D940 7km from Aubigny-sur-Nère, 21 km from Gien – GPS 47.55 – 2.44

Restaurants in Argent-sur-Sauldre : À l’Ardoise : 09 86 72 59 99 Le Cor d’Argent : 02 48 73 63 49 Le Moulin à huile: 02 48 73 38 00 L’Auberge de l’Étang du Puits: 02 48 73 41 34 Le Pub St-Patrick: 02 36 51 08 82

Visitors welcome in French and English .

Reduced rates (on presentation of proof of entitlement)

Privilege Pass price at Argent-sur-Sauldre : €3 instead of €5 for a visit to the Musée des Métiers d’Antan. ( click here to buy your Pass and benefit from reduced rates) Free for under-15s, PRMs and school groups.

Disabled visitors (wheelchair users): please call 02 48 73 33 10. Only some of the rooms on the ground floor are accessible . A visitor’s booklet provides an introduction to the collections for those unable to access all the rooms.

Argent-sur-Sauldre Musée des Métiers d'Antan

This 3-storey museum takes you back to a 19th-century village, with its Solognot household, wheelwright’s, blacksmith’s, saddler’s, clogmaker’s, joiner’s and carpenter’s workshops… Stamped bricks, a collection of butterflies and naturalised birds, and an evocation of Abbé Moreux are just some of the curiosities to be discovered.

Postal address: Esplanade du Château 18410 Argent-sur-Sauldre
Telephone: 02 48 73 33 10 – 02 48 81 50 60
E-mail: [email protected]

Getting there

What you will like

The Musée des Métiers d'Antan

The Sauldre Canal, rich in biodiversity

The many activities at Étang du Puits

See all activities

Privilege Pass

For one year, save over €100 on admission tickets and events at over 30 sites (châteaux, parks, gardens, museums, exhibitions, historic towns, etc.).

Privilege Pass price at Argent-sur-Sauldre : €3 instead of €5 for a visit to the Musée des Métiers d’Antan (Museum of Traditional Crafts)

Prices :

Full: €5
Reduced ticket : 3€
Privilege Pass: €3 (buy my Privilege Pass)
Free: under 15s, PRMs, school groups

Free admission – Temporary exhibitions are free.

Group visits by appointment by telephone on 02 48 73 33 10.

Timetable

Wednesday 15 April to Sunday 20 September inclusive , 1pm to 6pm.

Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, open to the public on Friday 8 May, Thursday 14 May and 15 August (closed on Friday 1 May).

8 km walk

Free – Departure from the educational terminal near the car park.

Information on 02 48 73 39 74.

Hire of electric boats and Step Paddle

Ride along the Canal de la Sauldre towards the Étang du Puits.

Only in July and August.

Information on 02 48 81 50 60 – 06 42 60 84 25.

©
Argent-sur-Sauldre, Étang du Puits｜C. Bordier, 2022

Practical info

Annual opening times
Opening of the Musée des Métiers d’Antan
APRIL – SEPTEMBER
From Wednesday 15 April to Sunday 20 September inclusive, from 1pm to 6pm.
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Access and transport
A77 exit 19, direction Gien, Bourges – D940 7km from Aubigny-sur-Nère, 21 km from Gien – GPS 47.55 – 2.44
Catering
Restaurants in Argent-sur-Sauldre :
- À l’Ardoise : 09 86 72 59 99
- Le Cor d’Argent : 02 48 73 63 49
- Le Moulin à huile: 02 48 73 38 00
- L’Auberge de l’Étang du Puits: 02 48 73 41 34
- Le Pub St-Patrick: 02 36 51 08 82
Payment methods
Cheque, cash.
Host languages
Visitors welcome in French and English.
Reduced rates (on presentation of proof of entitlement)
Privilege Pass price at Argent-sur-Sauldre : €3 instead of €5 for a visit to the Musée des Métiers d’Antan.
(click here to buy your Pass and benefit from reduced rates)
Free for under-15s, PRMs and school groups.
PRM accessibility
Disabled visitors (wheelchair users): please call 02 48 73 33 10.
Only some of the rooms on the ground floor are accessible.
A visitor’s booklet provides an introduction to the collections for those unable to access all the rooms.

Photo gallery

©
Argent-sur-Sauldre, Canal｜C. Bordier, 2023

©
Argent-sur-Sauldre, Étang du Puits｜C. Bordier, 2024

©
Town of Argent-sur-Sauldre, Canal de la Sauldre｜Catherine Bordier

Find out more about the venue

Argent-sur-Sauldre

Over the centuries, through marriage, inheritance and sale, Argent passed from hand to hand.

Owned by the House of Seuly in the 12th century, whose lords built the first castle to link their holdings from Sully-sur-Loire to La Chapelle d’Angillon, Argent entered the House of Albret in 1401 through the marriage of Marie de Sully to Charles d’Albret.

Sold in 1597 to Jean de Vetus, councillor at the Parliament of Brittany, it subsequently had several owners, including Nicolas Dupré de Saint-Maur, then Intendant of the Generalitat of Bourges, who acquired it in 1765. It was to him that we owe the construction of the château’s outbuildings and the project to rebuild the château itself around its park, famous for its French-style gardens, according to the plans of architect Victor Louis.

But the Revolution put an end to his ambitions. The estate then became the property of the de Montbel family through marriage, and in 1956 they sold it to the commune of Argent, whose successive councillors turned it into what it is today: the central part houses the Musée des Métiers d’Antan, the former barn has become a village hall, and the outbuildings are rented out to craftsmen.

Worth noting

The château became a museum in 1988. Many of the objects come from Jacques Barbier‘s collection.

Musée des Métiers d'Antan

Immerse yourself in 19th-century Sologne life. This enchanting place invites you to relive the past thanks to six captivating videos revealing the traditional trades of the time. Explore the techniques used by brickmakers, clog-makers, potters and saddlers, and immerse yourself in the authentic atmosphere of the time. You’ll be amazed by the precise gestures and skills of the craftsmen of yesteryear.

Let yourself be transported into the fascinating world of Abbé Moreux, a renowned scientist and astronomer who left his mark on the region. Through animated stories, discover his fascinating research and his influence on Sologne. As well as this immersion in the past, the museum is home to a new shop featuring a wide range of Renault pottery. Whether you’re a history buff, a crafts enthusiast or simply curious about life in days gone by, the Musée des Métiers d’Antan is a must-see.

Esplanade du château 18410 Argent-sur-Sauldre – 02 48 73 33 10 – 02 48 81 50 60

Étang du Puits

The 180-hectare Étang du Puits lake was dug in 1864 to supply water to the Sauldre Canal.

At the junction of two departments(Cher and Loiret), the Étang du Puits is now used for leisure activities: water sports, walks in the wooded area, birdwatching, supervised swimming in July and August, etc.