Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Écomusée du Haut-Beaujolais has its origins in the collections collected by the Groupe de Recherches Historiques de Cours (Rhône) since the 1980s. This collection work, taken over after 1994 by the association Patrimoines Haut-Beaujolais, is part of a context of rapid economic change in the Beaujolais Mountains, marked by the decline of the textile industries in the Reins and Trambouze valleys. The objects and archives gathered bear witness to this transition, with particular attention to machines and tools related to local cover production, often derived from recycling practices.

The museum is housed in a former cover and fleece factory, active for a century before closing in 1981. This industrial site, characteristic of the late 19th century, preserves emblematic architectural elements: a U-closed courtyard, shed roofs and a fireplace. The factory used to integrate all stages of textile manufacturing, from raw material to finished product. Today closed for restructuring, the ecomuseum maintains a cultural activity through travelling exhibitions in the territory of the Community of West Rhodoan Municipalities (COR).

The heritage interest of the site is based on both its technical collections and its industrial structure, a reflection of a local know-how that is now gone. The exposed machines, combined with the history of the site, offer a unique insight into the Beaujolais textile economy and its adaptations to industrial upheavals. The museum also benefits from the label Musée de France, highlighting its historical and ethnological value.

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