A wooden jetty overlooking an imaginary sea at Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, a cabinet of unicorns at the Château d'Oiron, or a jarring simulacrum of a military parade at the Château de Pierrefonds… But how did these modern works get there? The highly respected Centre des Monuments Nationaux (National Monuments Centre) joined forces with the visionary Centre National des Arts Plastiques (National Center for Visual Arts); the encounter between these two complementary institutions has given rise to a wonderfully anachronistic dialogue between ancient heritage and contemporary audacity. A way to open our eyes to the treasures of yesterday and today.

Focus on… Xavier Veilhan’s Carriage

A short distance from Bordeaux, in the main courtyard of the ducal castle of Cadillac, a curious carriage has come to a stop: a folded metal origami drawn by six galloping horses, its violet silhouette stretching fifteen meters across the cobblestones. First presented in 2009 in the courtyard of the Palace of Versailles, this monumental piece by Xavier Veilhan seems to traverse history here. This allegory of speed, travel, and the passage of time invites us to recall a time when the magnificent Gascon palace was occupied by an ancestor of the musketeers, the proud Duke of Epernon, a favorite of King Henry III, before becoming the first women’s prison in France!

DUCAL CASTLE OF CADILLAC
From April 16 to November 2, 2025
4 Place de la Libération, 33410 Cadillac-sur-Garonne
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