In Abbeville, the new mayor Angelo Tonolli has just put an end to the renovation and extension project of the Boucher-de-Perthes-Manessier Museum, although it has already entered its operational phase. Since the municipal elections in March, the Picardy case is far from isolated. Museums, art centers or cultural facilities: several new majorities have suspended, resized or abandoned projects inherited from their predecessors.
Abbeville (Somme) – Boucher-de-Perthes-Manessier Museum
The initial project to extend and renovate the Boucher-de-Perthes-Manessier museum, carried out by the former municipality of Pascal Demarthe (UDI), was abandoned by decision of the mayor of Abbeville Angelo Tonolli (DVG). While the construction site had already entered its operational phase, the new councilor announced, on September 21, 2026, that he wanted to develop a new museum project relying more on the existing spaces. The reasons given are above all budgetary: estimated at 30.5 million euros, a cost that the current town hall considers incompatible with the state of local finances. However, the restoration work on the belfry is being maintained, and the archaeological excavations underway on the ground will be able to continue until the beginning of 2027.
Aubenas (Ardèche) – Château Contemporary Art Center
The new diverse right-wing mayor Jean-Romain Ribeyre is reviewing the Château project, a contemporary art and heritage center opening in 2024. Faced in particular with the withdrawal of funding from the Drac, the municipality announces a less ambitious project and renounces recruiting a new artistic director, while strengthening the promotion of the history of the monument.
Barentin (Seine-Maritime) – Muse project
Returning to his own project, re-elected mayor Christophe Bouillon (PS) abandons the immersive component of the “Muse” project of the RMN-Grand Palais, developed in the former Badin industrial wasteland. As part of the wasteland rehabilitation project, estimated as a whole at 11.7 million euros excluding tax, the “Muse Découverte” art history initiation course, already installed, was originally to be supplemented by a program of immersive digital exhibitions.
Carnac (Morbihan) – Museum of prehistory
Shortly after his election, the mayor without label Alexandre Lanoë suspended the construction, started a few weeks earlier, of the Prehistory Museum, wishing to re-examine its economic model. The councilor mentioned a risk for the finances of the municipality, to which the project was to cost 8 million euros, while denouncing budgetary projections insufficiently worked on by his predecessors. This late decision, however, has a cost: 2 million euros 1 million euros in subsidies to be reimbursed. Alexandre Lanoë nevertheless plans to renovate the current museum installed in the old presbytery, and to use the land which was to accommodate his new building to build housing there.
La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée) – Napoleon Museum
Examination of the budgetary situation led the new municipality of Romain Bossis (DVG) to suspend and thoroughly review the museum project planned in the former conservatory, a project of its predecessor (Horizons). With an opening originally planned for 2028, the museum relied on a budget of 11 million euros and anticipated annual operating costs of 900,000 euros. The councilor removed the project from the town hall’s priority agenda in terms of investments, wishing to prioritize support for associations, companies and the local fabric. Without abandoning the project for a new museum for the town, the municipality wishes to modify its purpose, judging the planned axis to be of little relevance in view of the current collections, which contain few works linked to Napoleon. The objective of the place would thus consist of promoting the city’s main collections, linked to contemporary photography, 19th century painting and illustration.
Les Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée) – Nacéo Museum
Adopted at the end of January 2022 with a forecast budget of 7.9 million euros excluding tax, the Nacéo Museum was to be dedicated to maritime history, celebrating the sea as a central element of the Sablais identity. Before the decision of Mayor Nicolas Chénéchaud (DVD) to put an end to the project, several obstacles had delayed the procedure: structural disorders requiring a heritage operation had been noted during the construction site, adding unforeseen costs. Ultimately, the new municipality abandoned the project as it had been designed, citing a situation in which the budget had doubled, without however excluding finding another way to promote maritime history in the municipality.
Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) – Grand Café
The municipality of David Samzun (PS) decided to refound the Grand Café project around photography. The contemporary art center of national interest will continue to operate until spring 2027, before closing for two years for work. A call for expressions of interest must be launched at the end of 2026 in order to choose the future leader of the project, who will begin its activity outside the walls.
