Tourism Quality ™
Musée de l'Horlogerie et du Décolletage
Discover the museum, a true timepiece of the industrial and social history of the Arve valley. Follow the evolution of the know-how of peasant watchmakers from the XNUMXth century to the emergence of bar turning during the industrial revolution.
Original by its history and its collections, the Museum of Watchmaking and Décolletage is worth a detour. Initiated at the dawn of the XNUMXth century by the Ecole Nationale d'Horlogerie de Cluses, the museum had a dual vocation: to collect old time measuring instruments (the oldest piece dates from the XNUMXth century) and to preserve the memory of local industry.
Located today in the Espace Carpano & Pons, a former industrial site, the museum also evokes the history of the Watchmaking School by notably presenting a unique set of escapement models manufactured in Cluses.
Themed guided tours, dramatized tours, educational workshops and temporary exhibitions are regularly offered and will allow everyone to discover, learn and marvel at the masterpieces that this museum conceals.
For schoolchildren, from kindergarten to high school, we offer tailor-made activities in small groups. We suggest that you divide your classes in advance to create smaller groups, thus facilitating the exploration of our workshops and collections. Adapted workshops are also available for school groups with disabilities.
The Museum holds the Tourism and Disability label, and our team is fully aware of welcoming visitors with disabilities.
A mediator is always present to answer all your questions.
Reservations are essential for groups.
Prices for groups of more than 10 people, for guided tours
1 guide package at €35 (1 guide for a maximum of 25 people, beyond that, 2 guides are required, i.e., €70)
+ the museum entrance fee of €2 per person.
The visit is free for the bus driver and one accompanying person.
The visits last approximately 1 hour 30 minutes (this can be adjusted depending on your time).
They are by reservation only, via email or by phone at 04 50 96 43 00.
The museum welcomes groups from 9:15 am and 14 pm, Tuesday to Thursday, and Friday mornings (Friday afternoons are reserved for individuals). Groups of up to approximately 60/65 people.
Groups are welcome on Saturdays, but they must not exceed 30 people, as there is only one guide at the museum on that day.
There are two bus spaces in the car park in front of the museum.
Free access to the museum on the first Sundays of the month from October to June
Video
Themes
Location details
A40 motorway, exit 18. Follow signs for Cluses then the Museum of Watchmaking and Bar Turning.
Public parking is available in the blue zone just outside the Museum entrance. 2 hours of free parking with a parking disc, which can be provided by the Museum if needed.
A parking space for people with disabilities. Drop-off is available in front of the Hôtel le Musée.
On the second floor of the Carpano & Pons building.
Two places reserved for school and tourist coaches.
- Motorway exit within 5 km
- River or river within 300 m
- Downtown
- In the city
- SNCF station less than 500 m away
- Public transport stop within 500 m
Visit
Customers
Language(s) of the visit
Individual visit services
- Unguided individual tours permanently
- Guided individual tours on request
Group visit services
- Unguided group tours permanently
- Guided group tours on request
Opening
Exceptional Closure(s)
- 01/01/2026
- 06/04/2026
- 14/05/2026
- 25/05/2026
- 01/05/2026
- 08/05/2026
- 14/07/2026
- 15/08/2026
- 01/11/2026
- 11/11/2026
- 25/12/2026
Prices
| Prices | Min. | Max. |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 5 € | Not disclosed |
| Reduced price | 3 € | Not disclosed |
| Adult group | 3 € | Not disclosed |
Free every first Sunday of the month (from October to June)
Free (upon presentation of proof):
child under 12 accompanying an adult, museum association and AAAE members, Haute-Savoie tourist identity card, ICOM card, Pass Empreintes, Pass Vacances, press card, tour guides, interpreting guides, heritage guides Savoie Mont Blanc, group guide, promotional days (heritage day, museum night, Tourism and Disability days)
Guided tours :
From 10 people, € 2 per visitor + € 35 guide package.
For more than 25 people, provide 2 guides, i.e. a package of €70 + €2/visitor
Payment methods
Services
Equipment
Services
Activities on site
- Temporary exhibitions
- Children's entertainment
Home animals
Accessible tourism
Hearing impairment
The museum reception is equipped with a magnetic loop.
The museum can be visited independently:
– with the “Easy to read and understand” visitor booklet available at reception or downloadable from the website.
– with room sheets offering more detailed descriptions (freely accessible in each room).
– with an inclusive audio guide available in French Sign Language (LSF).
Physical disability
The museum can be visited independently with the "Easy to read and understand" visitor booklet, which can be requested at reception or downloaded from the website, along with the room information sheets offering more detailed descriptions (freely accessible in each room).
Several guided tours are available for individuals or groups.
All these tours are accessible to people with reduced mobility. Reservations are required by phone at 04 50 96 43 00 or by email at musee@2ccam.fr.
Visual impairment
The stairs leading to the museum are marked with tactile strips, and the elevator is equipped with audible instructions. Guide dogs are welcome throughout the building, including in the exhibition rooms.
Magnifying glasses and flashlights are available at the museum reception for greater comfort during your visit.
A large-print visitor booklet is available at the museum reception and can be downloaded from the website.
Mental handicap
The museum team also offers guided tours and workshops:
Semi-autonomous visit with an introduction to the visit through a “hands-on” area, then discovery of the collections with the “Easy to read and understand” visit booklet.
“Watchmaker’s Secrets” Workshop: A course that combines play, a short tour of the watchmaking rooms and then the assembly of an educational clock.
“Immediate Turning” Workshop: Course that combines recognition games, discovery of turning machines and assembly of a rocket created from turned parts.
“Artists’ Time” Workshop: A tour that combines an observation game, a short tour focused on clock decoration, and creation from a blank sheet of paper or a pre-drawn clock.
Reservations are required by phone at 04 50 96 43 00 or by email at musee@2ccam.fr.
Each activity can be adapted to your group; don't hesitate to call us to agree on the best option (particularly in terms of duration).
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