Copper factory of Cerdon

Located in the village of Cerdon, in the heart of the Ain department, the Cerdon Copperworks is an iconic French industrial museum, listed as a historical monument. This exceptional heritage site retraces more than a century of the company’s history and copper production, within a remarkable natural and cultural setting, between the Bugey, Bresse, and Ain plateau regions.

Formerly a copper wire-drawing factory, the Cerdon Copperworks is now a major cultural tourist destination in the department, near must-see sites such as the Cerdon Caves, the Château des Allymes, the Bird Park, and the Royal Monastery of Brou.

A Historic Industrial Site

Located at the bottom of the valley, on the banks of the river, it bears witness to the region’s rich industrial past. Founded in the 19th century, it is closely linked to the history of the Charles-Eugène company and the rise of the region’s silk and textile industries, notably the Bonnet silk mills.

At the time, the factory produced copper wire used in the textile industry, mechanical engineering, and production machinery. Its strategic location, between the Bugey plateau and the Bresse region, allowed it to take advantage of hydraulic power, essential for the operation of industrial machinery. From the late 19th century, it contributed to equipping Japan’s first state-owned silk mill in Tomioka, supplying several hundred copper basins to this site, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A living museum, centered around machinery and copper production

Today, the Cerdon copperworks is a museum preserved in its original state. A visit allows visitors to discover the historic wire-drawing machines, the production workshops, the transmission and weighing systems, as well as objects and products resulting from copper work. Visitors can also explore the complete organization of a 19th and early 20th-century factory.

The tour immerses visitors in the daily lives of the workers and highlights the major role of the copperworks in the economy of Cerdon, the Ain department, and the wider Bugey-Bresse region.

A cultural and educational visit for everyone

The Cerdon copperworks tour is suitable for families, groups, and those interested in industrial heritage. The site offers a historical, technical, and human perspective, ideal for understanding the evolution of industrial trades, machinery, and know-how.

A listed historical monument, the copperworks is also recognized for the quality of its preservation and the richness of its testimony to French industrialization in a rural setting.

From everyday utilitarian objects to the most refined pieces, the company and its factory supplied both renowned French kitchens and prestigious establishments around the world, such as the Carlton Hotel in Monte Carlo. Originally built around an old flour mill, the copperworks gradually expanded worldwide from 1867 onwards, eventually giving rise to the site you see today. Located above the waters of Switzerland, whose hydraulic power it harnessed, it developed several complementary skills:

• metalwork, dedicated to the manufacture of objects by hammering metal sheets;
• goldsmithing, dedicated to tableware and decorative objects;
• boilermaking, specializing in the shaping and assembly of sheet metal and other metals.

Practical Information for Visiting the Cerdon Copper Works

Address: 23 Rue de Marcheroux, 01450 Cerdon

Type of Site: Industrial Museum, Historical Monument

Setting: In the heart of the village of Cerdon, in a natural valley

Access:

By car from Ambérieu-en-Bugey, Bourg-en-Bresse, or Lyon

Parking near the site

Target Audience: Families, groups, school groups, heritage and industrial history enthusiasts

Opening hours, prices, and visiting information may vary depending on the season. It is advisable to consult the official website before your visit.

An ideal visit to combine with the Cerdon Caves

The Cerdon copper works is located just a few minutes from the Cerdon Caves, another major site in the area. For a full day of exploration, you can take advantage of a combined ticket for the Cerdon Copper Works and the Cerdon Caves, allowing you to combine industrial heritage with an underground natural site.

Located in Cerdon, in the Ain department, in the heart of the Bugey region, the Cerdon Caves are a remarkable natural site in France, blending geological heritage, human history, and outdoor tourism. Carved by water over thousands of years, these caves offer a spectacular underground journey, punctuated by galleries, concretions, and unique mineral landscapes.

Classified among the major tourist sites in the Ain department,

The Cerdon Caves offer an immersive experience, complemented by an open-air prehistoric theme park. This iconic site allows visitors to discover the evolution of the underground world while immersing them in the lives of the region’s first inhabitants.