Musée-bibliothèque

A visit to the Musée Bibliothèque de Saint-Calais is first and foremost a chance to experience the very special atmosphere of a place that has been kept intact, located between the curiosities and sciences of the 19th and early 20th centuries: the natural history cabinet of Elie Cottereau, a donor who lent his art as a taxidermist and botanist to the conservation of the finest specimens of local flora and fauna, and the travel cabinet of Gigault de la Bédollière, a rear-admiral and commander of the Far East squadron who bequeathed a rich collection of captures from faraway lands, including trophies and colonial products from Asia, West Africa and the Americas.