{"id":4955,"date":"2023-10-27T15:55:40","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T13:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/provencelovers.fr\/visit-musee-ciotaden-la-ciotat\/"},"modified":"2023-11-07T16:35:18","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T15:35:18","slug":"visit-museum-ciotaden-la-ciotat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/provencelovers.fr\/en\/visit-museum-ciotaden-la-ciotat\/","title":{"rendered":"Museum Ciotaden (La Ciotat): visit + photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Learn more about the history of the town of La Ciotat through these small and varied collections: prehistory, the founding of the town, p\u00e9tanque, shipyards…Here are our practical tips<\/strong> for planning your visit to the Ciotaden Museum in La Ciotat.<\/p>\n\n

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This guide is completely independent<\/strong>, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.<\/p>\n\n

Is a visit to the Ciotaden Museum worthwhile?<\/h2>\n\n

If you like anecdotes about a city’s activities or inventions, or observing a city through the ages, this municipal museum is well worth a visit. Here you can find out more about p\u00e9tanque and shipyards, among other things.This is one of La Ciotat’s best activities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

What you can see<\/h2>\n\n

The building<\/h3>\n\n
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Start by admiring the building housing the museum. This is the former town hall, built in neo-renaissance style around an octagonal belfry. Built in the 19th century, it was inaugurated in 1864.<\/p>\n\n

The antique collection<\/h3>\n\n
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The tour begins with archaeological remains excavated around the town and in the bay. We particularly appreciated the collection of amphoraeLa Ciotat’s ancient name was Citharista, and it is thought to have been founded between 470 and 390 BC.<\/p>\n\n

The Terrevaine excavations<\/h3>\n\n
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The museum mixes collectibles with some staging to bring it to life. One of our favorites is the excavations at Terrevaine, a cave not far from La Ciotat. It was excavated in 1945 to uncover its prehistoric treasures. Researchers found burials with flint and ceramic shards. They date back to the Copper Age.<\/p>\n\n

The city through the centuries<\/h3>\n\n
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You’ll then discover objects and information about the town’s evolution over the centuries. One of the rooms features several pieces of religious art: paintings, sculptures… <\/p>\n\n

City map<\/h3>\n\n
\"Map<\/figure>\n\n

Among all the items, we particularly liked the map of La Ciotat dating from 1780. The town’s main landmarks are identified, such as the soap factory, the many chapels and fountains…<\/p>\n\n

Studded boules and p\u00e9tanque<\/h3>\n\n
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The museum’s biggest surprise for us was to discover that the game of P\u00e9tanque (a very popular ball game in France) was invented in La Ciotat in 1910.The aim is to throw your balls so that they come as close as possible to a smaller wooden ball (called the “Cochonnet”).Learn more about the history of the game and the evolution of balls. At first, the balls were studded, and a few examples can be seen in the museum. The balls are then cast in bronze.<\/p>\n\n

The Maritime Life Collection<\/h3>\n\n
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Several rooms are dedicated to La Ciotat’s maritime history.Indeed, the bay soon became a maritime center. Learn more about fishing, trade and the boats that come here.<\/p>\n\n

Shipbuilding<\/h3>\n\n
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And, of course, one room is dedicated to the shipbuilding industry that brought prosperity to La Ciotat. Here you’ll find not only model boats, but also models of the handling systems that are essential to the smooth running of shipyards.<\/p>\n\n

Other rooms<\/h3>\n\n

And you’ll also be able to see:<\/p>\n\n