Musée du cuir et de la tannerie
About This Museum
In a town once famous for producing the leather in nearly half of France's gloves, the Musée du cuir et de la tannerie tells a story written in hide and sweat. Tucked away in Château-Renault, this isn't your typical fine art museum; it's a gritty, tactile tribute to a vanished industrial craft. You can almost smell the tannin and hear the ghosts of the tanners who worked these waters. It’s a deeply human archive of a community built entirely on leather.
Collection Highlights
The museum's heart is its arsenal of tools—massive wooden paddles for stirring vats, intricate knives for shaving hides, and heavy presses. One of the most striking exhibits is a collection of finished goods, from delicate kid-skin gloves to rugged horse harnesses, showing the incredible range of what local artisans could produce.
Visitor Information
You'll find it on the Esplanade des Droits de l'Homme. It's compact enough for a fascinating hour or two, perfect for breaking up a drive through the Loire Valley.
Architecture & Building
Housed in a former tannery building itself, the structure is unpretentious and functional, with the kind of robust, workmanlike character you'd expect from an industrial site that has been thoughtfully repurposed.
Contact & Location
Address: Esplanade des Droits de l'Homme, Les Mocets, Toulifaut, Château-Renault, Loches, Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France métropolitaine, 37110, France
Phone: +33 2 46 99 09 90
Website: Visit Website
