Satie Houses (Les Maisons Satie)
About Satie Houses (Les Maisons Satie)
Les Maisons Satie occupies three interconnected 15th-century timber-framed houses where composer Erik Satie was born on May 17, 1866. Rather than a traditional museum, visitors experience an immersive theatrical journey through surreal installations with automatically triggered audio guides. Each room features whimsical objects like winged pears, self-playing pianos, and flying umbrellas, accompanied by Satie's music and commentary inspired by his writings. The museum showcases his original drawings, collaborations with Picasso, Cocteau, and Braque, plus recreations of Montmartre cabarets where he worked. The building facades are listed as historical monuments since 1992. Summer hours extend to 19:00; check the official website for seasonal schedules and potential renovation closures.
Interesting Facts
Satie's most famous work, the Gymnopédies (1888), remained virtually unknown for 23 years. Only in 1911, when Maurice Ravel performed them, did Satie finally gain recognition. Claude Debussy had orchestrated two of them in 1896, but they still failed to attract attention until Ravel's performance.
The entrance sign at Les Maisons Satie reads 'This is not a museum, that said, enjoy yourself...' — a deliberate nod to René Magritte's famous painting 'The Treachery of Images' and Satie's own playful, anti-establishment philosophy.
Satie was famously eccentric about umbrellas, owning a collection of over 100. After his death in 1925, friends discovered his tiny apartment in Arcueil contained nothing but dust-covered umbrellas, two pianos stacked on top of each other, and piles of newspapers — he had never allowed anyone inside during his lifetime.
Planning Your Visit
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RecommendedLocation & Practical Info
Address
67 boulevard Charles V, 14600 Honfleur, France
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