Musée du Désert

About

The Desert Museum is a museum of art and history opened in 1911, located in Mas Soubeyran, in the commune of Mialet, in the Gard department and the Occitanie region. It traces the history of French and Cevenol Protestantism in particular. The word "Desert" defines a specific period for Protestants: that which begins with the revocation of the edict of Nantes by Louis XIV in 1685 (the Protestants no longer have the right to practise the Reformed religion), loosens the edict of Tolerance signed by Louis XVI in 1787 (the Protestants are tolerated), and ends the French Revolution (freedom of conscience is recognized).

A century in which Huguenots will have to exile or hide to practice their worship. The Desert has a strong biblical resonance as it evokes the wandering and tribulations of the Hebrew people for 40 years of exodus into the Sinai Desert. In practice, it means: hiding places, wild places, remote valleys, caves and forests of the cevenol mountains where the camisards take refuge to protect themselves from the king's dragons and to pray.

Following a course in 20 successive rooms, he evokes the great periods of Protestant history,...