Albert Dubout in Palavas

Albert Debout was a talented draughtsman and artist who contributed considerably to the world of newspaper sketches, caricatures, and cartoon-strips. His drawings of life in Palavas les flots are fresh in everyone’s memories.

Palavas les flots

After studying fine-arts in Montpellier, he came to Paris in 1924, where his talent for caricature immediately opened the doors to several newspapers and magazines, such as Satirix. His rabelasien-humoured drawings, showing comical figures in burlesque situations, brought him a success which lasted to the end of his career, and which enabled him to work in many fields, such as lithographs, cinema posters, and advertising.

The meridional corrida-lovers will remember his bull-fighting sketches where the bull is usually the least ridiculous of the participants, others will laugh at his sarcastic streak, with duchesses shown with six chins and pearl necklaces, and monocle-wearing barons.

The Albert Dubout Museum

There is always something to discover or rediscover in Dubout’s work. If more recent generations are not familiar with his drawings, they will nevertheless be amused and happy to discover the richness of this type of humour in the Museum that bears his name, and which is installed in the Redoute de Ballestras. Access is via a small boat to the fortified Redoute, built in 1743, which was later to be enclosed by the town water-tower. The fort was then dismantled stone by stone and moved to the current site in the middle of the lake. The museum houses many of Dubout’s works, his drawings of life in Palavas les Flots, and his caricatures. Many personal objects are also exhibited, including his drawing board, his pipe, his pens, and his correspondence – with, amongst others, Marcel Pagnol.

The Little Train – with the Dubout treatment

Like many sea-side resorts, Palavas les Flots has its own little train – but this one is special since it has some remarquable « Dubout » features ; Anatole and the Fat Lady are splendid in their spontaneity and their bright colours of yellow, blue and red ………. not forgetting the patched-up chimney-stack, façon Debout !

Tourist Office of Palavas les Flots

Tel: + 33 (0)4 67 07 73 34