The Vieille Douane
Presentation
Open the door of Châtel's Old Customs House to discover a different side to this cross-border region.
Children and adults will enjoy a fascinating trip back in time, learning about the game of cat and mouse that went on between the smugglers and the customs officers (known as "gabelous") in the mountains of the Portes du Soleil before the advent of winter sports. With lots of eyewitness accounts and a fascinating exhibition packed with documents and illustrations, the Old Customs House tells the story of a picturesque world full of surprises!
Temporary exhibition: "Black gold and grain of salt".
Did you know that salt, the ‘white gold’ of the 18th century, and oil, the ‘black gold’ of the modern day, have much in common? In those far off days as now, these commodities were and are a valuable part of our everyday lives, hence their national strategic importance, both in terms of tax revenue and foreign policy. As a result, both ‘white gold’ and ‘black gold’ have crossed the border as contraband, with rival smugglers and customs officials playing an ingenious cat-and-mouse game…
Temporary exhibition: "Black gold and grain of salt".
Did you know that salt, the ‘white gold’ of the 18th century, and oil, the ‘black gold’ of the modern day, have much in common? In those far off days as now, these commodities were and are a valuable part of our everyday lives, hence their national strategic importance, both in terms of tax revenue and foreign policy. As a result, both ‘white gold’ and ‘black gold’ have crossed the border as contraband, with rival smugglers and customs officials playing an ingenious cat-and-mouse game…
Groups welcome all year round by reservation
OpeningsFrom 22/12/2019 to 30/04/2020
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 2 pm and 6 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
Closed exceptionally on January 1st and December 25th.
Guided tour from Tuesday to Thursday at 3:30 pm. Min. 4 people, on reservation.
From 14/06 to 30/06/2020
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 2 pm and 6 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
From 01/07 to 31/08/2020
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday between 10 am and 12 pm and between 2 pm and 6 pm. On Wednesday and Friday between 2 pm and 7 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
Guided tour Tuesday and Thursday at 3.30pm, Wednesday at 6pm.
From 01/09 to 20/09/2020
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 2 pm and 6 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
From 21/09 to 30/10/2020
Opening hours on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 2 pm and 5 pm.
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 2 pm and 6 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
Closed exceptionally on January 1st and December 25th.
Guided tour from Tuesday to Thursday at 3:30 pm. Min. 4 people, on reservation.
From 14/06 to 30/06/2020
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 2 pm and 6 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
From 01/07 to 31/08/2020
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday between 10 am and 12 pm and between 2 pm and 6 pm. On Wednesday and Friday between 2 pm and 7 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
Guided tour Tuesday and Thursday at 3.30pm, Wednesday at 6pm.
From 01/09 to 20/09/2020
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 2 pm and 6 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
From 21/09 to 30/10/2020
Opening hours on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 2 pm and 5 pm.
Practical informations
- Visits :
- Average individual visit length (minutes) 60
- Tour language(s) :
- French
- Audio-guide language(s) :
- French
- English
- Dutch
- Documentation language(s) :
- German
- English
- French
- Italian
- Dutch
- Accessibility criteria for people with reduced mobility :
- Accessible for self-propelled wheelchairs
- Reserved space 330 cm wide < 20 m from the site
- Vertical signage of parking spaces
- Even flooring with no obstacles
- Absence of slope > 5%
- Doors >=77 cm wide
- WC + grab handle + adequate space to move
- Site, building totally accessible
- Accessible tourism :
- Reception staff made aware of the importance of welcoming people with disabilities
Features / Thematic
- Type of culturel patrimony :
- Interpretation Centre
- themes :
- Folk art and traditions
Services/Visits
- Parking :
- Parking
- Individual tour services :
- Unguided individual tours available permanently
- Guided individual tours on request
- Group tour services :
- Guided group tours on request
- Interior facilities :
- Lift
- Toilets
- Cultural leisure facilities :
- Exhibition space
- Help for client/transport :
- Coach access
- Shop :
- Shop
Tarifs
| Fares | Rates period | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23/12/2018 - 31/10/2020 | |||
| Adult | A l'année | 4.50€ | |
| Child (8-15 years) | A l'année | 3.50€ | |
| Group adults | A l'année | 3.50€ | |
| Group children | A l'année | 3.50€ | |
Guided tour: +€2/adult.
Family entrance: €3.50 per person (1 adult + 1 child)
Audioguide supplement: €1.
Family entrance: €3.50 per person (1 adult + 1 child)
Audioguide supplement: €1.
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Contact us
The Vieille Douane
1277, route de Vonnes
74390
Châtel
Phone : +33 4 50 71 75 11
Phone : +33 4 57 26 90 04
- Spoken language(s) :
Location
Shuttle line 4, stop "Les Fioles".
Parking nearby.
Parking nearby.