Visit Maison Victor Hugo

The house where Victor Hugo was born is on the same square where Charles Nodier and the Lumière brothers were born and where Gustave Courbet lived. Its doors were opened to the public in 2013. Hugo’s battles and his commitments come alive through sets designed with the latest technology. No. 140, Grande Rue is the place to learn about and reflect upon the extraordinary heritage, both literary and political, that he left for us.Objets d’art, some of them major, and some that belonged to him, are also on display. Ten years after the celebration of the bicentenary of his birth, the City of Besançon now has a permanent tribute to Victor Hugo.

On 26 February 1802, the house at 140 Grande Rue in Besançon was the birthplace of a world-famous writer, Victor Hugo.

Unlike the other houses where he lived, the Maison natale de Victor Hugo is neither a museum nor a place of memory. In a contemporary scenography that leaves a lot of room for multimedia, the struggles of this committed man are presented since the opening of the Maison Victor Hugo.

"Those who live are those who struggle", Les Châtiments, 1852
The ground floor of the museum's permanent exhibition evokes the links that Victor Hugo maintained with his native city. The staircase leading to the upper floor combines the chronology of 19th century French history with the key events in Victor Hugo's life. The four thematic areas on the first floor are devoted to Victor Hugo's commitments: poet, playwright, novelist, Victor Hugo was also a politician who transmitted his ideas and convictions through his actions, speeches and writings. A partnership with four international associations highlights the relevance of these struggles in the 21st century.

Hours :

Open every day except TuesdayFrom 1st April to 31st October from 10.30 am to 6.00 pm1 November to 31 March, 10.30am to 5.30pmSchool holidays (zone A), bank holidays and weekends from 10.30am to 6pmExceptional closures: 1 January, 1 May, 1 November, 25 DecemberPLEASE NOTE: Visitor reception closes a quarter of an hour before closing time, at 17:45. Thank you for your understanding.