“Inconnues?”

You may know a street named after them or an anecdote or a legend, but what do you know about them? 13 women who have left their mark on the region are presented in this travelling exhibition, which crosses eras and themes: gastronomy, wars, architecture, winegrowing... from the 14th to the 20th century! The Musée du Vignoble Nantais presented the exhibition Inconnues? from 26 June to 10 November 2025. In order to highlight local heritage beyond the walls of the museum, the exhibition was designed to travel around the region... And it's the Intervalle that will be hosting it for its 1st trip! To celebrate... Rendezvous on Wednesday 3 December at 2pm at l'Intervalle: VERNISSAGE of the exhibition & GUIDED TOUR by Charline Pérès, in charge of promoting the heritage of the Pays du Vignoble Nantais. Free admission. THE EXHIBITION Matrimoine was a term used until the seventeenth century to designate property inherited from a mother. The disappearance of the word, outside the private context of marriage, coincided with the invisibilisation of the role of women in history. And yet they have left their mark on their time through their ideas, their creations, their initiatives... whether at national or local level. Despite advances in society, there is still a need to highlight the women who have played a part in shaping our region. This exhibition presents 13 personalities who have left their mark on the Vignoble Nantais since the 14th century, with the aim of rebalancing the presence of women in the collective memory to give a fairer vision of our local heritage. How were the portraits selected? They were chosen according to a number of criteria: the diversity of periods and themes, the information available about them, the exceptional nature of their careers and, for some, their presence in the public arena. The aim of this exhibition is to highlight the role they have played in society.

Who are the 13 women featured in the exhibition? Through the panels, you can discover : Women at the heart of history:

- Jeanne de Belleville, the first female pirate

- Marguerite de Clisson, pretender to the Duchy of Brittany

- Yolande Goulaine, Marchioness of Goulaine

- Marie de Bruc du Cléray, counter-revolutionary

- Claire Doré-Graslin, Resistance fighter

The builders:

- Marie-Thérèse de Luynes, owner of Château de Rochefort in La Haye Fouassière

- Adélaïde-Marguerite Geslin, who built the Séchoir du Liveau in Gorges

- Marguerite Lemot, who built the Villa des Cordeliers and the Tivoli theatre in Clisson

Women of taste:

- Clémence Lefeuvre, who invented the beurre blanc sauce

- Armelle de Bascher, who took over the Domaine Viticole de la Berrière

- Geneviève Couteau, painter and illustrator from Clisson

Politicians:

- Paulette Gandemer, Mayor of Vieillevigne for 42 years

- Anne Roucou, Mayor of Le Pallet and founder of the Musée du Vignoble Nantais. Come and discover this exhibition during the opening hours of l'Intervalle, with free access. The exhibition is recommended for children aged 8 and over, and can be visited free of charge during Intervalle opening times: Tuesday to Friday, 12 noon to 6.30pm, except Wednesday, 10am to 6.30pm.