Museum history
Museum history
The Museum from wheelwright to coach is an initiative of The Vanaude, association for culture and enjoyments based in Vanosc.
from early 1980s to 2002 : early stages of the museum
In the beginning of 1980s, the association was entrusted with some wheelwright’s tools by the family of Alphonse Landy, a wheelwright in Vanosc and apprenticeship master of the young Joseph Besset. These tools have been carefully preserved with the idea of opening a museum.
The meeting with André Besset, Joseph’s youngest son, was also decisive and grow the idea of an exhibition retracing the career of the young wheelwright who became a coachbuilder. Many period records have been collected, along with detailed memories of Joseph and his factory.
2001: opening of the first exhibition site
In 1998, following the success of its first exhibitions, La Vanaude decided to create a permanent exhibition area. The Museum’s first site opened its doors in 2001.
Some documents and photographs from the 1920s to nowadays, show the evolution of the coachbuilder’s profession from the artisanal era to the modern era in the workshops of Annonay.
The Museum devotes a room to the exhibition of scale models of old and modern coaches from all over the world. However, the limited space was not large enough to accommodate more than fifteen coaches belonging to the association.
2007: opening of the second exhibition site
In July 2007 a second exhibition site opens.
This place of 1000m² features vehicles from the horse-drawn era (planter, carriage, handcart) and flagships from the traditional to the industrial era all made in Annonay. A Rolland Pilain car bodied by BESSET in 1929, the Tubincendie vehicle, Citroën P32 coach from 1935, Citroën P45 coach from 1947, Isobloc coaches from 1943, 1949 and 1955, Chausson coach from 1956 and Floirat, SAVIEM and Renault V. I. from the 60s to the 80s…
The vehicles are restored by the association’s volunteers with the help of professionals.
