Moulin de la Blies - Musée des techniques faïencières
Former flint-grinding mill of the Sarreguemines faience factory, now an ambiance museum on faience-making, with a garden on the banks of the Blies.
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About the museum
The Moulin de la Blies site is the oldest industrial site in Sarreguemines. A carpenter ran a sawmill there in 1821; the faience factory turned it into a flint-grinding mill, in operation from 1825 to 1969, where the clay pastes for the factory were prepared. The main building, built in 1841, has three floors and is 40 metres long.
The City of Sarreguemines bought the site in 1978. In the 1990s it assembled an important collection of machines and tools from the ceramics industry and, with the help of former faience workers, designed a route that highlights people as much as techniques. The Musée des techniques faïencières opened to the public in 1998. In 2018, an interpretation area was set up in the former house of the mill’s director.
The route is designed as an ambiance museum: plates ready for firing, carts of raw material and drying racks loaded with pieces accompany every stage, from the preparation of the pastes to decoration. A listening system gives voice to former workers. Around the mill, the Jardin des Faïenciers, laid out on former industrial wasteland, has been open to the public since 2009.
Highlights
- Ambiance-museum trail through an 1841 mill, from clay to decorated piece
- Collection of machines and tools from the ceramics industry
- Audio testimonies from former faience factory workers
- Animated model of the mill and of power transmission
- Jardin des Faïenciers on the banks of the Blies
- Tea room with a view of the garden
Permanent exhibitions
- Musée des techniques faïencières – Three-level trail showing how faience is made, from the preparation of the pastes to firing and decoration, with machines, tools and testimonies from workers.
- Espace d'interprétation du site – In the former director’s house, touch screens, photographs, turbine models and a miniature steam engine tell the story of the mill’s workers.
- Jardin des Faïenciers – Garden laid out on former industrial wasteland, with themed gardens inspired by faience, open since 2009.
- Founded
- 1998
- Operated by
- Ville de Sarreguemines
- Visitors per year
- approx. 33,009
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Groups of 10 or more, job seekers and people with disabilities (on proof) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for under-18s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5Reduced rate on proof. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for students up to age 26, on proof. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personReduced rate from 10 people. |
| Annual pass for the Musée de la Faïence and the Moulin de la Blies | €20Unlimited access to both museums for one year from the date of purchase. |
Free admission: On the first Sunday of each month and during the Christmas market
The €7.50 ticket is a combined ticket giving access to the Musée de la Faïence and the Moulin de la Blies. Chèques-vacances are accepted.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The Sarreguemines tourist portal states that the site is accessible to people with motor disabilities. Animals are not allowed; only assistance dogs are admitted to the museums of Sarreguemines.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Throughout the year the museums offer family workshop-visits (a guided tour followed by a workshop) and family events such as the Children’s Festival or “Musée en jeux”. The garden has walking and picnic areas.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus from the station and town centre (urban line serving the Moulin de la Blies).
By car
Parking available
Car park of the Moulin de la Blies and car park of the Centre Nautique.
The site lies on the banks of the Blies, away from the town centre. The Musée de la Faïence, the museums’ other site, is at 15–17 rue Poincaré.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Tea room serving local products on Sarreguemines faience, with a terrace overlooking the garden; reserved for visitors with a ticket. Shop open during museum hours, with ceramics, books and souvenirs. Screening room and interactive terminals.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
An equipped meeting room is listed by the Sarreguemines tourist portal; enquiries to the Musées de Sarreguemines.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours are offered during major events (Night of the Museums, European Heritage Days) and in summer, at no extra charge. Groups book guided tours through the Office de tourisme de Sarreguemines Confluences. Trails are available for schools. |
