Musée du fer et du chemin de fer
Iron and railway museum in the Grandes Forges of Vallorbe: water wheels, a working forge and the history of the Simplon line.
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About the museum
The museum is located in the Grandes Forges of Vallorbe, a protected site on the Orbe canal where iron has been worked since 1495. At that time Pierre Vallotton obtained the water rights for a grinding mill and a hammer; in 1528 a blast furnace was added, which was demolished in 1705. The Grandes Forges then developed into a group of small, independent workshops that were still driven by six water wheels at the beginning of the 20th century. The owner family, the Viotti, gave up production in 1967 in favour of the Forges de la Ville.
The Iron Museum was founded in 1980 and is built on two guiding ideas: demonstration and animation. The water wheels drive machines, and the forge at the centre of the building is in operation, so that hammer blows, belts and wheels accompany the exhibition. It shows the beginnings of iron production in the region, the development from the bloomery furnace through the blast furnace to later specialisations such as files, tools and chains. The Estoppey forge on the other side of the canal is also part of the tour. In 2023 the museum succeeded in having the traditional blacksmithing craft added to the intangible cultural heritage of the Canton of Vaud.
In 1990 the railway museum was added on the upper floors. Vallorbe lies roughly halfway along the 820-kilometre Paris–Milan line, and the railway has strongly shaped the town. The museum tells this history of the Simplon line with models, objects and model railway layouts.
Highlights
- Working forge powered by a water wheel
- Historic forge workshops since 1495 on the Orbe canal
- Railway museum on the Paris–Milan Simplon line
- Blacksmithing courses and striking commemorative medals
- Guided walks “Chemin du fer”, “Chemin du rail” and to the Le Day viaduct
Permanent exhibitions
- Eisenmuseum mit Schmiede in Betrieb – Iron production and processing from prehistoric times to the present, with machines driven by water wheels, historic workshops and the forge as the centrepiece.
- Eisenbahnmuseum – The railway history of Vallorbe on the Paris–Milan Simplon line, with models and model railway layouts.
- Founded
- 1980
- Operated by
- Fondation des Grandes Forges
- Director
- Thomas Menant
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 13 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 10Senior citizens (AHV), disability pension recipients (IV), students, apprentices |
| Children & teens | CHF 6Children aged 6 to 15. |
| Seniors | CHF 10AHV pension recipients. |
| Visitors with disabilities | CHF 10IV pension recipients. |
| Students & apprentices | CHF 10Students and apprentices. |
| Groups (12+ people) | CHF 10 per personFrom 12 people: adults 10, AHV/IV/students/apprentices 8, children 5. |
| Families | CHF 27From 2 adults and 1 child; from the 4th child an additional 5 per child. |
| Introduction to blacksmithing (by registration, aged 12 and over) | CHF 25Per person in addition to admission, 20–30 minutes. |
| Strike a commemorative medal (aged 6 and over) | CHF 5Blank available at the ticket desk, no registration required. |
| Guided visit (by registration) | CHF 90Flat fee per guide in addition to admission, 1.5 hours. |
Reduced rates apply in the low season (November to Easter, when no blacksmith is demonstrating). Payment is possible in francs, euros and by card; change is given in francs.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | CHF 27 · From 2 adults and 1 child; from the 4th child an additional 5 per child. |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Family rate, medal striking at the forge from age 6 without registration, introduction to blacksmithing from age 12, guided tours for all age groups. Two picnic areas outdoors (picnicking is not allowed inside the museum).
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Vallorbe Poste · 300 m
By train from Lausanne, 10 minutes on foot from Vallorbe station, or to Le Day station and then bus 613 to Vallorbe Poste (300 m to the museum). By bus from Yverdon-les-Bains (Travys) to the Eterpaz stop.
By car
Free parking · 3-min walk to the entrance
Free car park behind the municipal building.
By car, follow the brown tourist signs. Address for the satnav: Rue des Grandes-Forges 11, 1337 Vallorbe.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
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 | Guided tours in French, German, English, Spanish and Italian (max. 25 people per guide), also possible outside opening hours (then without a blacksmith). For school classes and groups there are “active visits” (“Les artisans du fer”, “Le fer, la matière”) with a blacksmith workshop. In addition, guided walks in Vallorbe (1 to 3 hours, registration at least 1 week in advance, from 10 paying participants). |
