Museum of natural mechanical engineering in Giverny

 

One tends to think that the word 'Giverny' only means Claude Monet and painting. Indeed the village can boast of several places reminding visitors of the great impressionist Master and also of the hundreds of artists who flocked there between 1890 and 1910.

However, there is also a very unexpected museum - one that hardly anyone has ever heard of - the" museum of natural mechanical engineering" which displays old machines, mostly steam, diesel and petrol engines from various dates, that have been restored to perfection . For instance an insufflation 4-stroke diesel engine,- a rare, early 20th century technique, but also a beautiful machine with its brass parts and its soft purring noise. Or also, the Carel 3-cylinder diesel engine, the bulkiest item of the museum (17 tonnes with an 8-tonne flywheel), restored in 2004. The star of the exhibition? A 1824 veneering saw which, as the man in charge explains, "does better work than modern machines".

All the machines are in perfect working order after patient restoration work and some of them can be seen running during visits.

Siam engine [1]

Carel engine[2]

The museum is in fact the private collection of the Guillemard brothers who enthusiastically welcome visitors. (Only by appointment - Phone : 02 32 21 26 33 - The museum lies just in front of the Village Hall, 2, rue Blanche Hoschedé Monet, 50 m off rue Claude Monet.).

 

[3]

When you plan your visit in Giverny, do spare an hour in order to go there : you will be welcome and the unusual exhibition is really worth a visit. Granted if your hobbies are gardening, watercolour painting or reading comics, you may not find the place that interesting. But if you are an old boy / girl of a technical college or if you spend your time tinkering about old cars or simply, if you are interested in unusual things and museums, then this one seems to have been created just for you.

 

Photos of the exhibits can be found on the Internet at:
http://www.givernyhome.net/pages/mecanic1pag.html

On the same page, you find a link for a video showing several machines running.

A few other pictures in the sites below:
http://www.expotec103.com/LES%20ARTISTES%20MECANICIENS.htm
http://perso.chanteraines.mageos.com/lvdc0013/asso02.htm

Boulet engine[4]

Photo credits [3] http://www.givernyhome.net/pages/mecanic1pag.htm [1] and [4] http://www.expotec103.com/LES%20ARTISTES%20MECANICIENS.htm [2] http://perso.chanteraines.mageos.com/lvdc0013/asso02.htm