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Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée des Maisons Comtoises is an open-air ecomuseum created in 1983 and inaugurated in 1988 in Nancray, Doubs, 15 km from Besançon. With an area of 16 hectares, it gathers about thirty authentic rural buildings, disassembled at their original site and then reassembled to reconstruct typical habitats of Franche-Comté between 1770 and 1950. The interiors, carefully furnished, illustrate the evolution of lifestyles in this agricultural and forestry region, while thematic gardens (forgotten vegetables, tinctoriale plants) and spaces dedicated to domestic animals complete the historical immersion.

The project was born from the will of Abbé Jean Garneret (1907–2002), who inspired Scandinavian outdoor museums like Sorgenfrei in Denmark. After having founded a peasant museum in Corcelles-Ferrières in 1955, then transferred to the citadel of Besançon in 1960, he initiated administrative procedures for this museum in 1973. The Nancray site, chosen for its varied relief, allowed the houses to be established according to their original altitude and orientation. The opening to the public took place on 1 June 1988 with five buildings, before reaching about thirty today, representing Sundgau farms, half-timbered comers, or county fruit trees.

The buildings exhibited reflect the architectural diversity of the county: roofs in tavaillons du Haut-Doubs, houses in pink sandstone of the Saôno Vosges, or 19th-century winemaker's cap transferred from Besançon in 2017. Around the houses, gardens cultivated in organic farming (witch's garden, textile plants) and a 19th century apiary highlight the links between the Comtois and their environment. The museum also addresses sustainable development through the study of local resources and traditional techniques, such as baking bread or spinning wool, offered during daily animations.

Since 1997, the museum has been run by a joint union involving the Conseil départemental du Doubs and Grand Besançon Métropole. Labeled Tourism & Handicap, it is accessible to people with disabilities (visual, auditory, motor) and offers tours in French, English and sign language. Open from April to November, it includes a restaurant serving regional and plant specialities from May to September. The site, served by line 81 of the Ginko network, highlights a vernacular heritage classified Museum of France, while raising awareness of the preservation of ancient animal breeds and craftsmanship.

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