Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Bénévent-l'Abbaye is an original museum located in the municipality of Creuse (New Aquitaine). Inaugurated without specific dates mentioned, it offers a scenographed dive into the daily life of the late 19th century, through a journey combining images, scenery, sounds and even perfumes. Its immersive approach makes it a unique place to discover local history, with thematic rooms such as La Campagne, Le Café Creusois or La Distillerie, evoking scenes of life between 1879 and 1914.

The museum is structured around two main attractions: "Marion and Bénéventine", a show retracing the history of Marie-Léontine Peillareau (known as Marion), a Creusoise whose voice is interpreted by Marianne Basler, and "The Pilgrim's masterpiece", an immersive journey on the Way of Compostela added in 2012. With 1,000 m2 of exhibition, the Scenovision welcomed nearly 19,000 visitors in 2006, becoming the second most frequented site in Creuse after the Mounts of Guéret animal park. A landscaped park with a giant goose game was added to enrich the experience.

In 2012, the museum has crossed the course of 100,000 visitors since its opening. The rooms, such as The Wedding Room or The Laboratory, recreate accurate historical atmospheres, while the 3D room plunges visitors into key scenes of Marion's life. The Screenplay highlights themes such as the exile of Creusian masons, local fairs or craft traditions, through a dynamic and sensory museography.

The site is part of an approach to valuing local heritage, combining history, technology (like 3D) and interactivity. His success is based on a narrative approach focused on fictional characters or inspired by real figures, such as Marion, whose life illustrates the social transformations from Creuse to Belle Époque. The decors, inspired by emblematic places (coffee shops, town halls, countryside), offer a faithful reconstruction of the period.

External links