The Roger Quillot: Art Museum

During summer, Air Corsica offers you direct flights to discover French provinces with sometimes unsuspected richness. So, from Ajaccio to Clermont-Ferrand, don’t miss the visit of the Roger Quilliot Art Museum.

A fine example of architectural restoration: The Roger Quilliot Art Museum (MARQ) in Clermont-Ferrand is converted in a former Ursuline convent and houses all the city's art collections. At the first glance, it resemble as a modern one – the roots of the museum are entrenched into a prestigious story yet, the site of the old Montferrand - where came one after another: the farmyard of the ‘Château comtal’, the House of the Consuls and the Ursulines’ convent, built during the 18th century.

Thanks to a central atrium    creator, who have improved the the light, which enters abundantly or in small touches - ensuring a perfect symbiosis between the classical architecture and the modernity of the museum presentation. From this floodlight atrium, ramps serve the spaces where the city's various art collections are presented on six levels.

At the beginning it’s the works of the 19th century that are highlighted with the emblematic equestrian statue of Vercingetorix sculpted by Bartholdi. The collections are now assembled by themes, with the large historical paintings, portraits, genre scenes, landscapes...

The small neoclassical room presents the youthful works of the painter Thomas Degeorge, a native from Blanzat and a pupil of David. The 20th century occupied the wing opened to the public at the end of 1999 - with a donation of a hundred works by figurative artists from the “École de Pari”, as well as the space where the pieces of the Maurice and Simone Combe donation are presented. Finally, the museum regularly hosts thematic exhibitions as well as events and conferences.

If you choose Air Corsica as your air carrier and Clermont-Ferrand as your tourist destination, you now know where to go to discover the city's finest artwork.