Cultural trips organised by the association
The trips offered by the association are reserved for members who are up to date with their membership fees.
Registration for trips is by post only.
Unless otherwise stated, to register for a trip, you must complete and return the pre-registration form, available under the description of the scheduled trip, to the following address:
Association des Amis des Musées
Antoine Vivenel and Figurines
2 bis, rue d’Austerlitz
60200 Compiègne
The final registration form will be sent to you subsequently, along with all the necessary information (payment details, etc.).
(The various registration forms are in PDF format, which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader or Apple Preview)
October 2026
■ Cultural getaway to Porto
5-day & 4-night stay
1–5 October 2026
This trip offers the chance to discover Porto, the Upper Douro Valley—famous for its vineyards—and the cities of Guimarães and Braga. These sites are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The Roman port of Portus Cale is undoubtedly the origin of the name Portugal. Situated at the mouth of the Douro, Porto has always been a port, facing the Atlantic. However, its economic boom did not take place until the 18th century, thanks to the trade in Port wine with England.
The city retains a medieval urban fabric from its past, with beautiful mansions featuring balconies adorned with wrought ironwork, deep blue azulejo tiles, gilded Baroque decorations, and… plenty of charm.
DAY 1 – Thursday 1 October
Flight from Paris to Porto. Baroque Porto: São Bento station (20th century) with its magnificent azulejo decoration. The Ribeira district, emblematic of Porto, andSão Francisco Church, whose interior is one of the finest examples of Portuguese Baroque.
Flight from Paris to Porto. Baroque Porto: São Bento station (20th century) with its magnificent azulejo decoration. The Ribeira district, emblematic of Porto, andSão Francisco Church, whose interior is one of the finest examples of Portuguese Baroque.
DAY 2 - Friday 2 October
The historic heart of Porto: a visit to the Sé, a cathedral-fortress (12th century) and its cloister covered in deep blue azulejos. A visit to the Lello e Irmão bookshop, one of the most beautiful in the world, as well as the Stock Exchange Palace. A visit to the Museu Romântico, set in a park overlooking the Douro.
The historic heart of Porto: a visit to the Sé, a cathedral-fortress (12th century) and its cloister covered in deep blue azulejos. A visit to the Lello e Irmão bookshop, one of the most beautiful in the world, as well as the Stock Exchange Palace. A visit to the Museu Romântico, set in a park overlooking the Douro.
DAY 3 – Saturday 3 October
Guimarães, city and palace of the Dukes of Braganza. Braga, cathedral and Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary.
Guimarães, city and palace of the Dukes of Braganza. Braga, cathedral and Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary.
DAY 4 - Sunday 4 October
Upper Douro Valley and the vineyards of Porto. Amarante, Lamego, the Casa de Mateus (Baroque manor house).
Upper Douro Valley and the vineyards of Porto. Amarante, Lamego, the Casa de Mateus (Baroque manor house).
DAY 5 - Monday 5 October
Visit to the Art Deco-style Serralves Foundation (contemporary collections). Short cruise on the Douro and Port wine tasting. Return flight.
Visit to the Art Deco-style Serralves Foundation (contemporary collections). Short cruise on the Douro and Port wine tasting. Return flight.
May 2026
■ In the heart of the Bourbonnais, Moulins and Vichy
5-day & 4-night stay
from 5 to 9 May 2026
In the heart of the Bourbonnais region, the River Allier links Vichy and Moulins, two towns that complement each other perfectly.
Moulins has the charm of a City of Art and History with its half-timbered houses, its cathedral, the remains of the ducal castle, not to mention a fabulous collection of stage costumes which gives it an undeniable added appeal.
Vichy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, possesses the typical elegance of a spa town, with majestic façades in Second Empire, Belle Époque and Art Deco styles, English-style parks and thermal baths.
DAY 1 - Tuesday 5 May
Journey from Compiègne to Moulins. Tour of the historic quarter of Moulins, capital of the Duchy of Bourbonnais from the 14th to the 16th century. Visit to the Maison Mantin, an exceptional example of 19th-century bourgeois taste.
Journey from Compiègne to Moulins. Tour of the historic quarter of Moulins, capital of the Duchy of Bourbonnais from the 14th to the 16th century. Visit to the Maison Mantin, an exceptional example of 19th-century bourgeois taste.
DAY 2 – Wednesday 6 May
Visit to the National Centre for Costume and the Stage. Tour of thetemporary exhibitiondedicated to Ariane Mnouchkine’s Théâtre du Soleil and the Rudolf Nureyev collection. Lunch at the CNCS Brasserie, decorated by fashion designer Christian Lacroix.
Vichy, ‘the queen of spa towns’, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit to the birthplace of Albert Londres (1884–1932), the father of investigative and feature journalism.
Visit to the National Centre for Costume and the Stage. Tour of thetemporary exhibitiondedicated to Ariane Mnouchkine’s Théâtre du Soleil and the Rudolf Nureyev collection. Lunch at the CNCS Brasserie, decorated by fashion designer Christian Lacroix.
Vichy, ‘the queen of spa towns’, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit to the birthplace of Albert Londres (1884–1932), the father of investigative and feature journalism.
DAY 3 – Thursday 7 May
Tour of“Vichy, capital of the French State 1940–44”. Visit to the Château de La Palice (12th–16th centuries), a feudal residence remodelled during the Renaissance by the famous Marshal de La Palice.
Tour of“Vichy, capital of the French State 1940–44”. Visit to the Château de La Palice (12th–16th centuries), a feudal residence remodelled during the Renaissance by the famous Marshal de La Palice.
DAY 4 - Friday 8 May
Guided tour:“Stories of Water: Vichy, 2,000 Years of Thermal Bathing”. Visits to“Vichy during the Second Empire”and the VichyOpera House.
Guided tour:“Stories of Water: Vichy, 2,000 Years of Thermal Bathing”. Visits to“Vichy during the Second Empire”and the VichyOpera House.
DAY 5 - Saturday 9 May
Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye: visit to Colette’s birthplace, designated a ‘Maison des Illustres’. Return to Compiègne.
Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye: visit to Colette’s birthplace, designated a ‘Maison des Illustres’. Return to Compiègne.
September–October 2025
■ Nantes, from the City of the Dukes to the Port-Atlantique
5-day & 4-night stay
from 29 September to 3 October 2025
This trip, designed in collaboration with the Via Nostra agency, will take us along the Loire estuary, from Nantes to the ocean.
The city of Nantes, now regarded as the capital of the Loire-Atlantique region, is brimming with cultural and historical attractions. In 1991, the ‘Port Atlantique Nantes-Saint-Nazaire’ was established to make its mark on the international stage.
The city’s many vestiges of its maritime past are now intertwined with numerous works of art, making Nantes a veritable open-air museum.
DAY 1 - Monday 29 September
Journey from Compiègne to Nantes. Visit to the city centre’s iconic sites and the Art Museum.
Journey from Compiègne to Nantes. Visit to the city centre’s iconic sites and the Art Museum.
DAY 2 - Tuesday 30 September
Exploringcontemporary artworks on the banks of the Loire estuary. Visit to the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire and an immersive experience of life aboard transatlantic liners at the Escal’Atlantique.
Exploringcontemporary artworks on the banks of the Loire estuary. Visit to the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire and an immersive experience of life aboard transatlantic liners at the Escal’Atlantique.
DAY 3 - Wednesday 1 October
Visit to the Château des Ducs de Bretagne and the Nantes History Museum. On the Île de Nantes, explore the Machines de l’Île. Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery.
Visit to the Château des Ducs de Bretagne and the Nantes History Museum. On the Île de Nantes, explore the Machines de l’Île. Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery.
DAY 4 - Thursday 2 October
Visit to Guérande, the old town and the salt marshes. Batz-sur-Mer, visit to the Salt Marshes Museum. Le Croisic and its peninsula.
Visit to Guérande, the old town and the salt marshes. Batz-sur-Mer, visit to the Salt Marshes Museum. Le Croisic and its peninsula.
DAY 5 - Friday 3 October
Discover the landscapes of Nantes from the viewpoints overlooking the city and the river. A farewell drink at the Chantenay docks. Return to Compiègne.
Discover the landscapes of Nantes from the viewpoints overlooking the city and the river. A farewell drink at the Chantenay docks. Return to Compiègne.
May 2025
■ Bulgaria, cradle of ancient civilisations
9-day & 8-night tour
from 30 April to 8 May 2025
This trip will take you on a journey of discovery through Bulgaria, a country with a history stretching back over seven millennia.
Thracian sanctuaries and treasures, monasteries and churches with sumptuous frescoes, ancient ruins and medieval towns, landscapes of rare beauty, centuries-old traditions and World Heritage monuments will punctuate our tour.
DAY 1 - Wednesday 30 April
Flight from Paris-CDG to Sofia. Explore Sofia, the remains of the Roman city, the early Christian church and the Orthodox cathedral.
Flight from Paris-CDG to Sofia. Explore Sofia, the remains of the Roman city, the early Christian church and the Orthodox cathedral.
DAY 2 – Thursday 1 May
Plovdiv, ancient Roman theatre, the Hindlian House (frescoes), the Episcopal Basilica, the Roman villa Eirene.
Plovdiv, ancient Roman theatre, the Hindlian House (frescoes), the Episcopal Basilica, the Roman villa Eirene.
DAY 3 – Friday 2 May
Batchkovo Orthodox Monastery, Alexandrovo burial mound, Burgas, on the Black Sea coast.
Batchkovo Orthodox Monastery, Alexandrovo burial mound, Burgas, on the Black Sea coast.
DAY 4 - Saturday 3 May
Archaeological remains of Nessebar (UNESCO), St Stephen’s Church. Varna Archaeological Museum.
Archaeological remains of Nessebar (UNESCO), St Stephen’s Church. Varna Archaeological Museum.
DAY 5 - Sunday 4 May
Archaeological site of Pliska. The Madara Rider (UNESCO). Arbanasi, Church of the Nativity. Veliko Tarnovo, Tsarevets Fortress.
Archaeological site of Pliska. The Madara Rider (UNESCO). Arbanasi, Church of the Nativity. Veliko Tarnovo, Tsarevets Fortress.
DAY 6 - Monday 5 May
Thracian tombs of Kazanlak (UNESCO). Concert of Bulgarian songs. Rose distillery. Hisarya spa village.
Thracian tombs of Kazanlak (UNESCO). Concert of Bulgarian songs. Rose distillery. Hisarya spa village.
DAY 7 - Tuesday 6 May
Thracian royal complex at Starosel. Koprivshtitsa, picturesque mountain village.
Thracian royal complex at Starosel. Koprivshtitsa, picturesque mountain village.
DAY 8 - Wednesday 7 May
Sofia, National History Museum. Boyana Church (UNESCO). Rila Monastery (UNESCO).
Sofia, National History Museum. Boyana Church (UNESCO). Rila Monastery (UNESCO).
DAY 9 - Thursday 8 May
Sofia, Archaeological Museum. Return flight Sofia – Paris-CDG.
Sofia, Archaeological Museum. Return flight Sofia – Paris-CDG.
Current formalities for French nationals:
Each participant must be in possession of a valid passport or identity card.
Useful link: travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Find out more
