We like to see things being made, all kinds of things. For example, we've been to a faience factory in Brittany and the Jelly Belly factory near our home in California as well as Mercedes in Sindelfingen and Oldsmobile in Lansing. <BR><BR>Can anyone recommend manufacturing facilities which offer tours in Paris and its immediate vicinity?

How about Goeblins, where they make the tapestries? I've never been there, but it sounds interesting.

Ron, thanks for your suggestion about Gobelins. So far that is the only one I have been able to find in any of the guidebooks and source materials I have and we will definitely go there.

I don't think you're going to find a lot of factories in Paris, the real estate is just too expensive and factories have moved to more rural areas. There used to be a lot in Saint-Denis, an industrial suburb to the north, but I don't think there are even many there any more. Most factories just don't give tours, either, which you probably know if you do this a lot--I guess there isn't really a lot in it for them. The Baccarat crystal factory near Strasbourg does not give tours, for example.<BR><BR>There are some entities that have "museums" which discuss the making of a product to some degree, with displays, but it isn't really a factory. Fragonard has a museum in Paris, for example, and covers perfume making to some degree, and Sevres has a procelain museum which is reachable by metro at Pont de Sevres, the end of line 9 in the 16th arr. YOu might be interested in the Christofle museum and workshops (the gold and silversmith maker) in Saint-Denis, they have tours (although it's their historic workshops) and there are other interesting things to see in Saint-Denis to make it a nice day trip(the basilica and Hotel Dieu museum).<BR><BR>There is a silk factory workshop near Tours, but that's probably too far away, and I've heard of some others in Provence and Normandy, but not near Paris. I think your best bet for a real manufacturing tour would be to go to the champagne caves/houses in Reims (Mumms?) or Epernay, an easy day trip from Paris to the east on the rail line. I've take the Gobelins tour which is the only one I know of it Paris that could be called a factory tour. It's good if you find textiles of interest, but was only in French when I took it, although you can still see things, of course.<BR><BR>I think the champagne houses are probably the most like what you want.

Thanks to all for your input. I've seen reference to the Sevres musuem on this board but not been able to locate it any of the guidebooks yet. We have been to Reims to Moet-Chandon which was fascinating. And, we've been to Tours to mushroom caves as well. <BR><BR>Any additional input which anyone can provide would be appreciated. Bakery tours, candy factories, whatever.<BR><BR>

I believe the Poilane bakery offers tours.

The Sevres museum should be in a good guidebook, I'm guessing it would be in Michelin, but is not really that mainstream so perhaps not. I could not find a web site for it and the best descriptions are in French, but here is a good description of a trip to Sevres in the online guide Jack-travel (which is one of my favorites, it has tons of good info which is very reliable and detailed compared to most sites, more unusual stuff in it, also):<BR>http://www.jack-travel.com/IledeFrance/html/Paris_Daytrips_Sevres.htm<BR><BR>I've only heard of candy, cheese etc factories in other areas of France, not in Paris. I have read about two factories that have tours near Dijon, if you want to go there (which is actually very easy by TGV, it's less than two hours). I don't know the details, perhaps you could contact the Dijon tourist office, but I've read of Grey Poupon, the mustard company, and IFF (international flavors and fragrances, they supply the perfume trade a lot, as well as other stuff) having factory tours there.<BR>

Christina, live and learn. Dumb me was thinking that Sevres was located close to Limoges where we've been in the past. Of course, it is not. And, having put that together I have found in the Michelin Green Book for France, though not for Paris, the proper references.<BR><BR>And, your url for Jack's Travel was the icing on the cake.<BR><BR>For the reference to Poilane, St.Cirq, I thank you. I've sent them an e-mail and will be curious to see their response.

That's not so dumb, I can see you were thinking of porcelain as being near Limoges. That is a famous porcelain museum, one of the first in the world. The bakery tour sounds good, I would go for Christofle myself as I like silver and gold. <BR><BR>I did not mention this because it is not a manufacturing tour except in the most perverse sense, but they do have tourist tours of the sewer system of Paris (Les Egouts de Paris), it's really a museum down in the sewer system. All you ever wanted to know about sewage &agrave; la fran&ccedil;aise. You couldn't get me to take a sewer tour at gunpoint, but if you like to see how things work ... I have a friend who went who said it did smell because there is real sewage there, and she couldn't imagine what made her think that would be a fun thing to do but some people like it, I guess. <BR><BR>If you like manufacturing, you might want to go to the Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers in the 3rd arr. It's a museum of inventions and scientific advances, basically (railways, clocks, optics, electronics, mechanical, etc.). Not many tourists go there but it might be interesting to you. It is in the Michelin Paris guidebook (others, I'm sure). Here is their web site which is quite impressive, but I think it is only in French, not sure if you can read that<BR>http://www.arts-et-metiers.net/

I second the Gobelins and the Conservatoire des arts et metiers. Actually, despite living in Paris, these are the only places I could think about when reading your post.<BR><BR>Concerning the Gobelins, you must know that it can be visited only two or three days/week (and not during the week-end). I don't remember which ones..

Monsieur Poilane does not do 'tours'. <BR><BR>

I read a magazine article about the Louis Vuitton factory, located just outside Paris, which said that tours are given at some times in the year. I cannot locate that article now, and don't remember where I saw it. But it could be something to look into...

&lt;&lt;Mr. Poilane does not do tours.&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Hmmmm...I was sure I read in a magazine before I left for France in June that he was allowing small groups into the bakery a few days a week for a look-see. <BR><BR>I trust you know more than I do about it though, being practically a Paris native by now!

Hi St. Cirq!<BR><BR>I said that 'Monsieur Poilane' doesn't do 'tours'...he is between his new shop in London and Paris, and only allows certain people in the food and wine biz in on special occasion. We are working on a project together and he has never mentioned doing anything openly 'public' and his views are definitely 'anti' t-o-u-r. <BR><BR>His tiny cellar is phenominal, and if they allow you in to look and see, I would be surprised as it is amazingly small, hotter than blazes and you have to get through the crowds and long lines on the sidewalk glaring at you.<BR><BR>Great bread, gorgeous little shop...but it isn't a 'factory' by any means. He bakes his larger goods outside Paris. Line up though if you want to see the best little bread shop and taste the best bread in Paris. No baguettes though.<BR><BR>Best, Wen