Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée de l'auto, de la moto et du vélo originates in the private collection of Mr Bernard de Lassée, a major figure in the French automotive heritage. Founder of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and representative of France in the International Federation of Ancient Vehicles, he gathered an exceptional collection of automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles and accessories. This collection, acquired by the city of Châtellerault in 1969, was first exhibited under the name Museum of Technology and Automobile, then Museum Auto Moto Bike, before becoming Le Grand Atelier, a museum combining art, industry and social history.

The museum is housed in the premises of the former arms factory of Châtellerault, founded on 14 July 1819 by Louis XVIII. This industrial site, closed in 1968, was a key player in the production of arms in France, with a remarkable architecture designed by architect Duglin, evoking Eiffel-type metal structures. The museum showcases iconic vehicles (Panhard-Levassor, Bugatti, Delahaye, Alcyon, etc.) and objects related to technical history, placed in their historical context, from the 19th century to the present.

Beyond transportation, the museum addresses the social and industrial history of the region, notably through the evolution of the weapons factory and its impact on the city. Elements such as the Cabaret du Chat Noir or old advertising posters illustrate the transformation of society into an urban and technical civilization. Labeled Musée de France, it combines industrial heritage, technical innovation and collective memory, offering a dive into the evolution of local mobility and know-how.

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