Musée des Papeteries Canson et Montgolfier

Over het museum

The museum is housed in the birthplace of the Montgolfier brothers, in the heart of the Manufacture royale de Vidalon in Davézieux. It tells the story of papermaking from the 17th century to the present day. Guides show how a sheet is formed by hand in an old vat, and the museum presents itself as the only one in the world to operate a full-size paper machine.

The rooms cover the Montgolfier, Canson and Seguin families, who for more than three centuries took papermaking in the north of the Ardèche from craft to industry. They also deal with the calculations of the Montgolfier brothers that led to the hot-air balloon, the inventions of the Canson family, the paternalistic organization of the paper town with its chapel, warehouses and school, and the daily life of papermakers and of the Johannot family, talented papermakers.

The visit includes ten rooms, a video on papermaking and a 500 m² vaulted workshop where machines are set in motion and paper is made by hand. The paper mill buildings have been listed as historic monuments since 2012.

Hoogtepunten

• Full-size paper machine in operation
• Handmade paper in an old vat
• Birthplace of the Montgolfier brothers
• 500 m² vaulted workshop with working machines
• 17th-century chapel of the manufacture
• History of the Montgolfier and Canson families

Vaste collectie

• Du papier à la main aux machines – Route through the Montgolfier birthplace and the vaulted workshop: handmade papermaking, printing, the paper machine in motion and a sheet-cutting machine.

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Group visits by appointment only, for at least 15 people.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Only part of the museum is accessible: the ground floor (video, Montgolfier room, shop) and the basement (machine room, handmade papermaking workshop). A small car park near the museum is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderfeestjes

During school holidays, handmade papermaking workshops for children (for example in July and August 2026 at 09:30, by contacting the museum). Workshops can also be arranged for a family celebration or a birthday.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

From the car park, continue on foot along a sloping pedestrian path (about 2 minutes); beyond that, vehicle manoeuvres are difficult.

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel

The shop is open during visiting hours: paper, books, documents and souvenirs related to the hot-air balloon.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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