Olliergues Museum of Trades and Traditions

A visit to discover the technical and social heritage of the Pays d’Olliergues.
Housed in the Château d’Olliergues – an ancient fortified castle dating back to the XIIᵉ century, perched on a rock overlooking the Dore valley – this museum invites visitors on an immersive journey to the heart of(…)

A visit to discover the technical and social heritage of the Pays d’Olliergues.
Housed in the Château d’Olliergues – an ancient fortified castle dating back to the XIIᵉ century, perched on a rock overlooking the Dore valley – this museum invites visitors on an immersive journey to the heart of local craft traditions.
The museum comprises four areas, each dedicated to a different theme.
In the wood room, you’ll find a beating saw, the ancestor of today’s sawmills, as well as the clogmaker’s workshop, from manual to industrial production.
You’ll then pass through the wheelwright’s workshop, a reconstruction of Father Faure’s workshop, where you’ll learn all about the workings of the wheel.
Next, you’ll discover a space devoted to hemp production, harvesting and weaving, with a 17thᵉ century loom, as well as mechanical weaving, illustrated by a Canut loom, a Jacquard mechanism and a ribbon drum loom.
In the last room, the braiding industry, still in operation, will be presented to you. You can also discover the museum’s “treasures” : tools and machines used in rural life.