Espace Georges-Brassens, Music museum in Sète, France

Espace Georges-Brassens is a museum in Sète devoted to Georges Brassens, the singer-songwriter born in the city. Its white facade carries a large sign reading "ESPACE GEORGES BRASSENS" above "un musée pour le poète", next to a black-and-white photograph of Brassens standing beside a boat. In front, a wooden boat with a white hull, blue lower section and louvered cabin rests on wooden supports. Inside, a one-hour visit with headphones follows a museum trail and a video room.

The museum was founded in 1991 to preserve the legacy of this important French artist. A comprehensive renovation in 2006 doubled the exhibition space and modernized how his works are presented.

Since 2002 the museum has hosted the French-song festival "Quand je pense à Fernande", whose line-up has featured Alain Souchon, Jacques Higelin, Renaud, Zazie and Camille. A "Putain de Georges" evening invites groups from other styles to reinterpret Brassens, such as the Trio Louis Martinez, who play his songs instrumentally in jazz.

The visit lasts about an hour and is made with a headset, following a museum route that ends in a video room. School groups can book themed tours built around text analysis and versification. The building was redesigned by architect Christian Salvador in 2006, which doubled its surface.

The wooden boat displayed outside, with its white hull, blue lower section and louvered cabin, recalls the world of sailors evoked in Brassens's songs. The sign beside it pairs the name "Espace Georges Brassens" with the line "un musée pour le poète" and a black-and-white photograph of the singer standing next to a boat.