Filature des Calquières
Living museum in a wool mill in Langogne: 19th-century machines still running, the Mule Jenny and a Cinéma dynamique.
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About the museum
The Filature des Calquières in Langogne is considered the oldest mill in France that can still be visited. It lies along a canal whose water turns the large mill wheel.
Since July 1, 1994, an association has run the site as a museum and brought the old factory back to life. Since January 2023, the town of Langogne has managed the museum.
The route follows the wool from fleece to thread ready for knitting, with 19th-century machines that are still in operation. The Mule Jenny on the third floor stretches and twists carded wool into yarn; it is considered one of the last witnesses of the industrial revolution of the 18th century. The site also has a small craft production, exhibitions and workshops.
Highlights
- Water wheel driven by a canal
- Mule Jenny, an 18th-century spinning machine
- 19th-century machines still in operation
- Cinéma dynamique with the coachman Filasse and his mare Bobine
- Craft shop selling wool products
- Founded
- 1994
- Operated by
- Commune de Langogne
- Visitors per year
- approx. 8,128
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 3 · Rate for children aged 4 to 16 on self-guided visits; free for children under 4. |
| Groups (16+ people) | €6 per personPer-person rate for self-guided visits for groups of more than 15 people, by reservation. |
| Guided tour, adult | €9 |
| Guided tour, child (ages 4–16) | €6 |
| Group of more than 15 people, adult guided tour | €7 |
| Group of more than 15 people, child (ages 4–16) | €5 |
| Felting or weaving workshop | €8€8 to €15 per person, depending on the workshop. |
Tickets include access to the mill and the Cinéma dynamique.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The site is reported to be accessible to visitors with reduced mobility, with a lift. A plan of disabled parking spaces is available on the website. Dogs are not admitted, except guide dogs and assistance dogs.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
The museum puts family visits first. Children on self-guided visits receive an educational sheet. A sensory tour invites visitors to touch and smell the wool, and a Cinéma dynamique ends the route. Felting and weaving workshops are offered.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Gare de Langogne · 15-min walk
Langogne station on the Cévennes line (Clermont-Ferrand – Nîmes); bus line Le Puy-en-Velay – Mende with a stop in Langogne.
By car
Parking available
From the RN88, park on Place de la République, then walk along the Langouyrou. Motorhomes and coaches park in the Pré de la Foire car park (near the swimming pool), about 200 m from the museum.
- Accessible parking
Do not drive down Rue des Calquières: it is a dead end with no parking. Two public charging points are about 10 minutes’ walk away.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Wool craft shop. The auditorium has 40 seats.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The self-guided visit lasts about 1 hour; the guided tour lasts 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours and is preferably booked in advance (at least 5 people). In July and August, departures are at 10:15, 14:15 and 16:15; from mid-May to June and in September, departures are at 14:15 and 16:15; the rest of the year, by reservation only. No guided tours on Sundays. |
