Museums - clocks, watches
 

We are going to France this fall and I would like to visit clock or watch museums, especially those that have a collection of old time pieces and feature the history of time pieces.

We will be spending several days in Paris and then probably heading south.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Merci beaucoup,

John

Do check out the clocks at Musee D'Orsay in Paris; see link below. The restaurant is behind one of the clocks (great photo opportunity)

http://ssa.paris.online.fr/pages/MuseeOrsay.htm

There's no museum that I'm aware of in Paris that's specifically devoted to clocks and watches, but I'm sure you'd have a field day at the Louvre des Antiquaires and some of the antique stores in the 6ème and 7ème. There might be good stuff in the Louvre as well. And of course, you'll want to go to the Panthéon to see Foucault's Pendulum.
In Besançon, there's a Musée du Temps.
In Morteau (Franche-Compte), there a Musée de l'Horlogerie
In Viller-le-Lac (Doubs), there's a Musée de la Montre.

A Foucalt's Pendulum also swings in the Arts-et-Metiers Museum - one he made for the Universal Exhibition of 1855 and in any case this is a museum of antique scientific instruments and engineering type stuff - may well have clocks though i don't remember.

The Foucault pendulum of the "arts et métiers" museum from Paris
Constitution of the pendulum in the "Arts et Métiers" Museum. The sphere : steel, brass, lead . diameter = 18 cm. (0,59 foot) 1 foot = 0,3048 m ...
visite.artsetmetiers.free.fr/site_anglais/pendulum_museum_a.html -

Le site officiel du musée des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France.
http://www.arts-et-metiers.net/musee...ng=fra&flash=f -

The Sevres Ceramics Museum showcases the world-famous ceramics manufacturer's wares and no doubt must include clocks though i don't remember from my visit:

Sevres Ceramics Museum | Paris Pass – Visit the Sevres Ceramics ...
Want to visit the Sevres Ceramics Museum? Get free entry to the Sevres Ceramics Museum in Paris, France with the Paris Pass - the sightseeing & museum pass ...
http://www.paris-pass.com/att-sevres...ics-museum.asp - 16k - Cached - Similar pages
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[Rmn] Sèvres Ceramics Museum
Sèvres Ceramics Museum. Le musée >. Useful information > ... Visit the museum’s website: www.musee-ceramique-sevres.fr. Access Metro: Pont de Sèvres ...
www.rmn.fr/Sevres-Ceramics-Museum,272

They have some antique watches in the Louvre, but France isn't really known as a big watch or clock center. Switzerland is good for that. They have a clock museum in Brussels, and I suspect the only ones are over near the Swiss border of France.

Hey guys, tell the John about a must see famous one, ( if not THE most famous clock in Paris situated in - The Tour de l'Horloge. A 14th century clock tower features the FIRST public clock in Paris! Germain Pilon's fine carvings continue to adorn the clock face.
LOCATION: Pont Au Change, just down the road from St-Chapelle.
If you have opera glasses (very handy) or a zoom lense on your camera it will help see the details clearly.

Photo of Orsay museum great clock
Photo of the clock : If you arrive at Orsay Museum by foot from the Seine river side you will admire the two large impressive clocks on the front of the ...
http://www.paris-pictures.com/photo-...seum-clock.htm

Paris Monuments, Landmarks, Sightseeing
The Museums and Monuments Card provides admission to 70 locations. ... The view of Paris from the clock tower is stupendous, and the gargoyles are a special ...
http://www.discoverfrance.net/France...onuments.shtml

How about the massive clock in Rouen?