Adult groups

• Self-guided tours

with self-guided tour brochure (F, GB, D). Room information sheets available throughout the tour itinerary (F, GB, D).

​Rate: museum admission fee

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• Guided tour of the museum

Find out about Balzac's relationship with Touraine and his daily life at Saché through a guided tour of the château's reception rooms (furnished rooms on the first floor), and the museum's permanent collections (rooms on the second floor). Reference to literary works inspired by Touraine (The Lily of the Valley, The Vicar of Tours, etc.) and to those written in part at Saché (Father Goriot, Lost Illusions, etc.).

Duration : 45 minutes to an hour (according to the group's wishes)

Max. 25 pers. per group. For groups of more than 25 persons, two groups will be formed, with start times 15 minutes apart.

​Rate: museum admission fee

• Presentation of the museum

Find out about Balzac's daily life at Saché and references to the novel The Lily of the Valley through the château's reception rooms (furnished rooms on the first floor).

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes (according to the group's wishes)

Max. 35 pers. per group. For groups of more than 35 persons, two groups will be formed, with start times 20 minutes apart.

​Rate: museum admission fee

• THE LILY OF THE VALLEY themed tour

Exploration of the novel The Lily of the Valley: discover the places which served as inspiration for Honoré de Balzac, references to the autobiographical dimension of the story and the novel's creation in the course of letters and corrected proofs. 

In french. Translator required.

Duration: 45 minutes to an hour (according to the group's wishes).

Max. 25 pers. per group. For groups of more than 25 persons, two groups will be formed, with start times 15 minutes apart.

​Rate: museum admission fee + 2,50 euros.

• BALZAC AT SACHÉ themed tour with coffee tasting session

Find out about Balzac's daily life at Saché with particular reference to the author's work habits and his love of coffee. At the end of the tour, introduction to coffee tasting ("Balzac coffee", a creation by Max-Cafés, roaster in Azay-Le-Rideau) while listening to a short lecture on the Treatise of modern stimulants by Honoré de Balzac.

Duration: an hour to an hour and a quarter (according to the group's wishes).

Max. 25 pers. per group. For groups of more than 25 persons, two groups will be formed, with start times 15 minutes apart.

​Rate: museum admission fee + 2,50 euros.

• BALZAC, FROM MANUSCRIPT TO THE PRINTING SHOP themed tour

Discover the château de Saché as a place for writing, reference to novels written in part at Saché (Father Goriot, Lost Illusions, Cesar Birotteau, Louis Lambert,etc.), introduction to the world of printing in Balzac's time by means of a demonstration of how a printing press works.

In french. Translator required.

Duration: an hour to an hour and a quarter (according to the group's wishes).

Max. 25 pers. per group. For groups of more than 25 persons, two groups will be formed, with start times 15 minutes apart.

​Rate: museum admission fee + 2,50 euros

• Presentation or guided visit of the museum, combined with a BALZAC SIESTA

The presentation (20 min) or guided visit (45 min) is preceded, or followed, by a Balzac siesta (30 min). Visitors can recline in deck-chairs or lie on the grass, in the shade of its ancient trees (or in the barn in the event of adverse weather) and enjoy the silent setting to unwind, let go and drift into gentle meditation, listening to extracts from Scenes from the Public and Private Lives of Animals and stories from The Human Comedy read by a museum interpreter.

Duration: 50 – 75 minutes (according to the wishes of the group).

Max. 25 people per group. Groups of more than 25 people shall be split into two groups, setting off at 15-minute intervals.

Rate: museum admission + 2.50 euros.

• Presentation or guided visit of the museum, combined with a MUSIC SALON 

The presentation (20 min) or guided visit (45 min) is followed by a “music salon” (30 min) in which a museum pianist plays modern pieces by Honoré de Balzac on the museum’s Erard piano (1849), giving visitors the momentary sensation of dipping into the atmosphere of literary salons in the first half of the 19^th century. In this instance, the salon evokes Honoré de Balzac’s musical tastes and the place of music in his work.

Duration: 50 – 75 minutes (according to the wishes of the group).

Max. 25 people per group. Groups of more than 25 people shall be split into two groups, setting off at 15-minute intervals.

Rate: museum admission + 2.50 euros.

• PRINTING WORKSHOP

Discover the work of printing alluded to in the novel Lost illusions by Honoré de Balzac, the practice of typography, role playing between typesetters, press operators and print shop managers inspired by the jargon of typographers (bears, monkeys,  "canardiers" - a name to describe a newspaper typesetter -, "piausseurs" - adjective used to describe someone who tells tall tales and lies - etc.). The workshop includes a tour of the Balzac museum on the theme of Balzac - printed printer.

In french. Translator required.

Duration : two hours.

Max. 15 pers. per group. For groups of more than 15 persons, two groups will be formed, which will go on the tour of the museum and do the workshop alternately.

​Rate: 9 euros per person (admission fee included).

• WRITING WORKSHOP

An invitaton to write in the places which served as inspiration for Honoré de Balzac. The workshop includes a tour of the museum on the theme of Saché, a place for writing.

In french. Translator required.

Duration: two and a half hours.

Max. 15 pers. per group. For groups of more than 15 persons, two groups will be formed.

​Rate: 9 euros per person (admission fee included).