CENTRE CULTUREL

At the heart of the magnificent dwelling of the former Benedictine abbey of Saint-Calais is the great hall of the heritage library, rich in 10,000 volumes collected since the 2nd germinal of the year II, date of the formation of the popular library by the board of directors of the district of Saint-Calais, from the collections of the Fathers of the Church. In addition, among the curiosities and science of the 19th and early 20th centuries, there is the natural history cabinet of Élie Cottereau, a donor, taxidermist and botanist who has helped conserve the most beautiful specimens of local fauna and flora, and the travel cabinet of Gigault de la Bedollière, a rear admiral and commander of the Far East squadron who bequeathed a rich collection of colonial trophies and products from Asia, West Africa and the Americas. Finally, the museum houses the "Shroud of St. Calais" which enveloped the relics of Karileph, founder of the abbey.