Museum of Resistance and Deportation

Located in a Maquis territory, in Nantua’s former prison, a town which received the Resistance Medal, the Museum of Resistance and Deportation of Ain will take you on a journey through a dark chapter of history.

The museum is due to reopen in 2017 following essential renovation and enlargement works, and will be much more accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. A completely redesigned tour route puts people at the very centre of the story. The new exhibition accentuates the suffering and the courage of men and women who experienced first-hand the events of World War II here in Ain, allowing us to understand the strategic challenges faced in the region during the war.

The museum was originally set up by an association, for the most part made up of former Maquisard Resistance fighters and relatives who donated a large part of the collection, and features one of the most extensive exhibitions in France on the subject.

Featuring reconstructions, animated maps, interactive displays, sensory objects, and much more, the new, innovative route is accessible to all and, with both a historical and a contemporary approach to the war, sheds light on this period in history while raising questions on the meaning of past events.

Adapted tours suitable for deaf and mute people and people with mental disorders are available, advance booking required. The street linking the museum and the public car park is on a 50m-long slope. The museum does not have a private car park, but it is possible to drop off in front of the museum.