An iconic accessory of French fashion, the felt hat has brought several centuries of prosperity to the town of Chazelles-sur-Lyon (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) thanks to its large felt hat factory.
An iconic accessory of French fashion, the felt hat has brought several centuries of prosperity to the town of Chazelles-sur-Lyon (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) thanks to its large felt hat factory.
From the 16th century until the beginning of the 20th century, the small town of the Monts du Lyonnais would host the main production site of the luxury felt hat in France: in 1930 there were no less than 28 factories and 2,500 workers!
Internationally renowned thanks to the popularity of the hat with many celebrities (Grace Kelly, Marie Curie, Maurice Chevalier, Fernandel, Jacques-Yves Cousteau...) and the use of the very chic accessory by prestigious haute-couture houses (Hermès, Nina Ricci, Paco Rabanne, Dior), the historic workshop has been a museum for nearly 30 years, the evolution of post-war fashion having unfortunately led to its closure in 1975.
Unique in France, this workshop-museum preserves the memory of this production and the various hat makers' know-how. On site, you can see old machines (still in use), watch a demonstration of hat shaping or, through films, dive into the history of headgear since the Middle Ages or the industrial past of this town in the Loire department.
The chimneys, which are the remains of former hat factories, are particularly impressive, as is the collection of more than 400 hats that belonged to personalities from the world of cinema, politics or the arts. Want to know more about this last great witness of the French hat industry? Go to this site to schedule your visit to this museum, now classified as a historical monument.
Valérie from Comme des Français
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