Known as the gathering place for the Impressionist painters, Auvers-sur-Oise also houses a museum dedicated to a beverage that defined an era. For the Heritage Days, on September 19 and 20, 2026, visitors will be able to step into the Absinthe Museum, a quirky venue tracing the history of the famous “green fairy” and its influence on society, the arts, and Parisian cafés.
Set in a old 19th-century house, the museum is dedicated to unveiling the history of absinthe far beyond the many myths that surround it. Emerged at the end of the 18th century, this drink based on grande absinthe, anise and aromatic herbs enjoyed immense popularity in the 19th century. In Paris as in the rest of the Île-de-France, the 'green hour' becomes a true ritual in cafés, where artists, writers, workers and the bourgeois gather around the traditional glass of absinthe.
Did you know there used to be a museum dedicated to absinthe, the drink that fascinated artists, in Val-d'Oise?
Dedicated to the famous "Green Fairy," this quirky venue in the Val-d’Oise invites you to step back into the world of cafés, artists, and the myths of the 19th century. Today bearing the Regional Heritage label, it captivates as much with the originality of its subject as with the cultural and historical perspective it offers on a beverage that has become legendary. And it’s open to visitors! [Read more]
Absinthe is inseparable from the artistic world of the late 19th century. Edgar Degas devoted one of his most famous paintings to it, while Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Verlaine or Arthur Rimbaud are among the personalities often associated with this spirit. While some legends have greatly exaggerated its effects, absinthe has become a true symbol of Parisian bohemian life and of the Belle Époque.
The museum revisits this history, separating fact from myth. It showcases a rich collection of glassware, perforated spoons, fountains, advertising posters, period objects, and documents that shed light on how the drink was made, how it was used, and how it evolved up to its ban in France in 1915, before making a comeback on the market nearly a century later.
Beyond the drink itself, the Absinthe Museum shines a light on a broad swath of French heritage, spanning craft, traditions, advertising, gastronomy, and art history. It also underscores how central cafés were to the cultural life of Paris and its surrounding region at the end of the 19th century.
On the occasion of the 2026 Heritage Days, this visit will thus allow visitors to discover a singular museum that tells, through an everyday object, an overlooked chapter of Île-de-France's cultural history.
Theatrical tour "Theo or Vincent van Gogh at the Absinthe Museum"
Théo and Vincent take you back to the era of the green fairy for a tour that blends Absinthe texts with passages from the Van Gogh brothers’ correspondence from Auvers-sur-Oise.
Among 19th-century works gathered by Marie-Claude Delahaye, the words of Baudelaire, Ponchon, Rimbaud, Verlaine, Allais resound alongside the letters of Théo and Vincent.
The museum is open from 12:00 to 21:00.
Participation conditions: Free | Booking required - evenements@musee-absinthe.com, 01 42 42 82 55
Timings: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 11:00 AM–1:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 11:00 AM–1:30 PM
Themed tour: "Absinthe in Popular Culture, Film, TV and Songs"
Discover the museum and Marie-Claude Delahaye's collection through a theme titled "Absinthe in Popular Culture: Cinema, TV, and Songs" Rimbaud Verlaine, Barbara, Moulin Rouge !, Ginette Garcin, Dracula, Benjamin Biolay, French Cancan, Eddy de Pretto, Emily in Paris...
The museum is open from 12:00 to 21:00.
Participation terms: Free | Booking required - evenements@musee-absinthe.com, 01 42 42 82 55
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, please drink responsibly.
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Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Absinthe Museum
44 Rue Alphonse Callè
95430 Auvers sur Oise
Route planner
Official website
musee-absinthe.com
Did you know there used to be a museum dedicated to absinthe, the drink that fascinated artists, in Val-d'Oise?
