After operating exclusively online for nearly three years, the Pollet Gallery has opened a physical storefront in downtown Dieppe, Seine-Maritime, France. The gallery, which launched its e-commerce site lagaleriedupollet.com over two years ago, officially opened its brick-and-mortar location on Notre-Dame Street on June 1, 2025.
The gallery represents the passion project of Bertrand Lavalou, who abandoned his freelance digital marketing career to pursue his love of art collecting. Coming from a family of art collectors – both his father and grandfather were enthusiasts – Lavalou has been living in the Pollet neighborhood for five years before deciding to turn his passion into a full-time business. Initially, he organized intimate art gatherings at his home and occasional exhibitions at the Red House before launching his online platform.
"At first, it was mainly paintings with a little sculpture," explains Lavalou. "I spend a lot of time tracking them down. The idea is to find quality works and be able to offer them at a price accessible to as many people as possible." His approach focuses on discovering overlooked gems that can appeal to a broader audience without compromising on artistic merit.
For the physical store opening, Lavalou has partnered with longtime friend Frédéric Vuillaume, a lighting enthusiast and design aficionado whom he has known for 30 years. Vuillaume brings a unique background to the partnership – originally trained as an architect, he practiced in that field for 20 years before spending another two decades as a project manager. The 60-year-old professional had maintained a pied-à-terre in Eu for 14 years and was spending increasing amounts of time there before making the complete transition last October.
"I was fed up with being in Paris, the path I was working in," Vuillaume confides. "Before being an architect, I first loved lamps. I've been designing them since I was 20 years old." He embraces the term "lampiste" – literally meaning the person responsible for lamp maintenance, but also carrying the connotation of someone who unfairly bears responsibility for others' mistakes. "My father didn't like this word, but I think lampiste suits me well," he says with a smile.
The gallery's offerings reflect both partners' eclectic tastes and expertise. Lavalou's selection spans various periods, though he has a particular affinity for 20th-century works. "I generally like the 20th century, but there are exceptions," he elaborates. "A painting has to speak to me, either because it bothers me or because it intrigues me. Works that seduce immediately are often those that interest you the least for the longest time." This philosophy guides his selection process, prioritizing pieces that offer lasting engagement over immediate appeal.
Vuillaume's lighting collection represents pieces from across multiple decades, from the 1930s through the 2000s, each chosen as a personal favorite. "There's a lot from the 60s and 70s – I was influenced by my architectural training, it's the era of modern design," he describes. His ultimate goal is to eventually showcase his own original creations alongside the curated pieces. "I will always continue to sell beautiful lamps that I love, to hunt for treasures," he notes, emphasizing his commitment to both discovering existing pieces and creating new ones.
The new physical space offers 23 square meters of main exhibition area and 60 square meters in the basement level. This lower space, housed in a historic 13th-century cellar, presents exciting possibilities for the business partners. They envision eventually expanding their role from retailers to full gallery operators, planning to host temporary exhibitions featuring works by other artists in this atmospheric underground space.
The Pollet Gallery is located at 19 Notre-Dame Street in Dieppe and operates Wednesday through Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The original website galeriedupollet.com continues to offer both paintings and lighting fixtures for online customers, maintaining the digital presence that launched the business while now complementing it with the tactile experience of the physical gallery space.
