Doubs: Outing By Car II

Not many people like to enter museums when they travel. The French are quite exceptional. But Ernest and Nicole, who made visiting a tool museum the main purpose of their outing, were true rare species.

The former farm-workshop was created by Arsène Lagrange in 1828 to manufacture scythes and other cutting tools.

It was taken over by the Philibert family who operated it until its closing in 1969. Classified as a historical monument in 1985, the museum conserved its impressive hydraulic machinery which drove waterwheels,

drop hammers,

forge bellows and turbine for more than a hundred years.

When we got out from the car, a bus of golden-aged French tourists had also just arrived. Thanks to the group, we had a guided visit. The guided gave a demonstration and an explanation of different machineries

and tools,

and how the ironsmiths used to work.

Without the stream of Gyps of the Jura mountain which supplied the water energy, the workshop would not have existed. Another proof that the natural force is more powerful than human intelligence.