From April 18 to November 29, 2026, the Jean Cocteau House in Milly-La-Forêt reopens its doors. On the agenda: masterpieces on loan from the Centre Pompidou, two unprecedented exhibitions, and a series of concerts that echo the spirit of the poet.
From April 18 to November 29, 2026, the Jean Cocteau House in Milly-La-Forêt reopens its doors. On the agenda: masterpieces on loan from the Centre Pompidou, two unprecedented exhibitions, and a series of concerts that echo the spirit of the poet.
In the shadow of the Bonde Castle, the Bailiff's house stands like a movie set frozen in time. Jean Cocteau bought it right after filming "Beauty and the Beast" and made it his haven from 1947 until his passing in 1963.
Within these walls, he lived, worked, entertained friends, and arranged the objects he loved. To cross the threshold is to step through the looking glass and enter a world where the works, furniture, and memories create a life-sized self-portrait.
This label distinguishes homes that have housed major figures of our heritage. It assures visitors an authentic dive into the artist's life, without any ostentatious staging.
Here, everything has remained within sight: the armchair by the window, a few trinkets picked up here and there, walls dotted with drawings — the daily life of a multifaceted creator, by turns poet, filmmaker, or decorator.
The Jean Cocteau House reopens from April 18 to November 29, 2026. Nine months to rediscover the place, but also to take advantage of the new features that mark this season.
Among them, exceptional loans, two temporary exhibitions, and a series of summer concerts. A busy schedule, designed as a continuous dialogue between the house, Milly-La-Forêt, and the poet's artistic friendships.
Thanks to loans from the National Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou, the public will be able to admire two large portraits of the master of the house. The first, by Jacques-Émile Blanche in 1912, captures the rebellious youth of a literary dandy.
The second, painted by Bernard Buffet in 1955, reveals a more meditative face, marked by years of intense creation. These canvases, displayed side by side, bear witness to the connections that Cocteau forged with 20th-century artists.
Starting from April 18, 2026, the first temporary exhibition explores the almost fraternal friendship between Colette and Cocteau.
Drawings, photographs, objects, original editions, letters, and videos make up a sensitive journey. The centerpiece: a portrait of Colette by Cocteau from 1944, surprisingly painted with flour and charcoal.
Between two display cases, one can perceive the tender—and sometimes teasing—gaze they cast upon each other.
The second exhibition, open until November 29, 2026, unveils the genesis of the paintings of the Saint-Blaise-des-Simples chapel, the burial place of the poet.
Iconography of simples—these medicinal plants—Resurrection of Christ, model of the stained glass windows: all the milestones of a monumental creation made between 1957 and 1960 are revealed. It then becomes apparent how much Cocteau loved to blend spiritual inspiration with botanical motifs.
From June 13 to September 19, the Maison echoes its passion for music with a series of eight concerts.
Every Saturday at 6 p.m., an interlude of about an hour invites audiences to discover original programs designed for the venue. From the elegance of a Reynaldo Hahn aria to the edgy rhythms of jazz, Cocteau's eclecticism is translated into notes, carried by demanding yet never elitist musicians.
After the exhibition or concert, it would be a shame to leave without taking a look at the garden. Just a few steps from the dining room to the green pathways, where the found objects converse with the flowers.
We linger, we look up: the silhouette of the Château de la Bonde in the background recalls the entire history of the place.
In summer, the slanting light gives the stones a golden glow—a nearly cinematic interlude.
- Houses of the Illustrious: an official label that identifies homes that belonged to significant cultural figures, open to visitors for educational purposes.
- Simples: an old term used for medicinal plants utilized in traditional remedies.
Whether one comes for the portraits, to pay homage to Colette's memory, to discover the chapel, or simply to listen to a concert at dusk, the Maison Jean Cocteau promises a timeless journey.
The doors remain open until November 29, 2026: ample time to plan a cultural getaway to Milly-La-Forêt and be moved by the poetry of the place.
Author Audrey on 03 June 2024
Art and Culture : Festival
Author Audrey on 28 September 2021
Art and Culture : Literature