The Archaeological Museum of Lac de Paladru is located in the new town of "Villages du Lac de Paladru", in the department of Isère, 20 km north-west of Voiron.
Set back from the beach, north of the eponymous lake, it opened its doors in June 2022, replacing a previous archaeological museum located south of the lake, in the town of Charavines, which had been closed in 2018.
The establishment has a contemporary architecture in the shape of an upside-down canoe which is intended to be "a metaphor for the lake which would have withdrawn, leaving the submerged remains uncovered and inviting visitors to explore the site". In fact, the public is invited to descend gently towards the exhibition space and two footbridges represent banks on the sides. As for the posts supporting the structure, they were implanted irregularly, like the forest bordering the lake. The building was designed by Basalt Architecture & A-Team.
The vocation of the new museum is to highlight some 600 objects unearthed during excavations carried out from 1972. These have brought together objects dating from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages: these tools, weapons, traces buildings, everyday objects and ceremonial items provide a better understanding of the daily life of the inhabitants of the area, from the first Neolithic farmers to the peasant horsemen of the nascent Middle Ages.
These objects have been preserved in very good condition in the pure waters of the natural lake of glacial origin, some 4 km² wide.
As a result, the museum also highlights the techniques and specificities of underwater archaeology.
Temporary exhibitions and workshops are offered. Open Saturday and Sunday from November to March (but Tuesday to Sunday during Zone A school holidays) and Tuesday to Sunday from April to October. Closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25. Price: 2 to 5 euros. Information on +33 4 56 26 16 16.
