Maison d'Alexandra David-Néel

The residence, named Samten Dzong, was the home of Alexandra David-Néel in the southern French town of Digne-les-Bains. Today it displays her extensive collection of Asian artifacts, personal objects, and manuscripts from her expeditions across multiple rooms furnished with original pieces and items from her travels.

Alexandra David-Néel acquired the property in 1928 after being the first Western woman to enter forbidden Lhasa in 1924. The house became the center of her life and the place where she recorded her experiences in numerous books and documents.

The residence reflects her passion for Tibet through a meditation room and study where she worked on her writings. The spaces show how she shaped her daily life around Eastern principles.

The museum offers guided tours limited to eight visitors at a time to allow for a focused experience. Plan to spend enough time as the visit proceeds at a leisurely pace with much to discover.

The garden holds plants specifically collected during her Asian travels, blended with classic French roses and fruit trees. This mixture shows how she connected Eastern and Western worlds at this location.