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Jean-Baptiste Andr Godin (1817-1888), founder of the famous stove factory and a staunch Fourierist, dreamed of a communal society that would afford everyone "all the equivalents of wealth".
In the second half of the 19th century, he built the Familistère, also called the Social Palace, on the banks of the Oise near the Guise foundry. It comprised three residential complexes and annex facilities, including a pool and washhouse, cooperative stores, a recreational garden, schools and a theatre. To find out more about the Familistère in Guise, visitors can tour Godin's apartment, study a scale-model of the site, see a "show apartment," the inner courtyards, the recreational garden and view a multimedia presentation at the Familistère Theatre.
Being that the Familistère is still inhabited, and part of it is now private property, all tours must be conducted by authorized guides only.
Tour itinerary:
(duration: about 1 h 30)
Meeting in the Reception area at the Drapery located at the entrance to the central building.
Multimedia show at the Familistère Theatre (20 minutes): the history of the Familistère and its theatre.
Jean-Baptiste Andr Godin's apartment and a 3D plan of the Social Palace
An apartment in 1877
The interior and exterior courtyards of the Social Palace
Service facilities: stores, washhouse and pool, schools, bandstand, etc.
Unguided visit to the recreational garden.
Tours are targeted to meet the needs of different audiences and to cater when possible to visitor demands.
The guided tours are conducted by volunteers or by staff guides from the Godin Foundation Association.
The itinerary may be modified without prior notice according to the number of visitors and activities at the site. |
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