Museum and Library François Pétrarque, Fontaine de Vaucluse

The Petrarch Museum of poetry preserves the written and artistic legacy of two major artists: Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) and René Char (1907-1988). Petrarch’s poetry and intellectual heritage, as well as his contributions to mediaeval literature and culture, can be found in the museum, alongside the illustrated first editions of Char’s poems. The museum also features an exhibit of modern art by twentieth century artists.

An impressive literary and cultural showcase set in the heart of a narrow valley, the Petrarch Museum invites visitors to discover the exceptional beauty of its site and its abundance of cultural wealth.

Separated by five centuries but stood side by side today, the works of Francesco Petrarch and René Char are preserved in the museum, which was founded in 1927 in a home built upon what is believed to be the property of the Italian poet.

- The Mythical Triad :

The museum's iconography features drawings and prints of the celebrated triad of Petrarch, Laure and La Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, as artists imagined and painted them over the centuries, as well as a collection of ancient prints of Petrarch’s works which includes volumes written by French and Italian Petrarch scholars.

- Writing and Painting :

There is also a small collection of first editions which reveals the pictorial collaboration by the artistic brotherhood of Braque, Giacometti, Miro, Picasso, Staël, and oters who illustrated the poems of René Char.

- The Water Treasure :

This museum's marrying of modern and mediaeval, in its featuring of works by contemporary artists alongside its collection of antique volumes, renders it a compelling and refreshing artistic space.