Be transported back to the early 20th century at Musée des Commerces d’autrefois in Rochefort in the Charente-Maritime. The name may not be very exciting but within the walls of this private museum are 20 superb replicas of shops from the turn of the last century, showing in great detail what commercial life was like at the time.

The scenes in the Museum of Commerce have all been created using original objects, making it the largest private collection of its type in France – and the museum one of the most popular in Rochefort. The businesses on display are:

cognac distillery, barrel maker, spiritualist shop, garage, bistrot, milliner, chemist, dry cleaner, grocery store, seed merchant, hairdresser, butcher, patisserie, coffee bean shop, photographic studio, place to have clothes ironed, cobbler, general store, blacksmith, book and paper shop.

Carte Sesame: make sure you pick this up when you go to your first museum in Rochefort – it gives you reduced entry to all the others.