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Plage de Saint-Jorioz
Saint-Jorioz
Large natural sand beach on Lake Annecy facing Dents de Lanfon. Paid July–August (€2.60), free rest of year. Blue Flag award.
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Fonderie Paccard
Family bell foundry since 1796, 7 generations of bronze casters: a museum spanning 230 years of history, bell casting on Thursdays, Ars Sonora concerts.
Location verified by loisirs74.fr
At a glance
Type
Museum and working bell foundry, family business since 1796
Access
Paid
Price
Museum €9.50 · With foundry €14 · Discovery Tour €20 · Under 10 free
Duration
1.5 hours (self-guided) to 3 hours (Discovery Tour)
Best season
March – October · casting on Thursdays except August
Parking
Free on site
Animals
Probably not admitted (active foundry), assistance dogs accepted
Stroller / Reduced mobility
Accepted at the museum, partial access to the bell tower and foundry
Town
Sevrier
Wheelchair access
Accessible Source: Acceslibre
💶
Price
Visite libre musée - Adulte
9,50 €Musée seul, libre accès aux collections
Visite libre musée - Enfant 10-18 ans
7,00 €Gratuit moins de 10 ans
Visite libre musée - Tarif réduit
8,00 €Familles nombreuses, étudiants
Visite Musée + Fonderie guidée - Adulte
14,00 €Week-end uniquement, sur réservation
Visite Musée + Fonderie - Enfant
10,00 €10-18 ans
Visite Musée + Clocher guidée - Adulte
13,00 €Tous les jours
Visite Musée + Clocher - Enfant
9,00 €10-18 ans
Visite Découverte le jeudi - Adulte
20,00 €Vidéo + visite commentée + coulée des cloches + concert Ars Sonora (sauf août)
Visite Découverte le jeudi - Enfant
15,00 €10-18 ans
Visite Découverte tarif réduit
17,50 €Familles nombreuses, étudiants
Passeport Paccard - abonnement annuel
29,00 €Visites illimitées sur 1 an
Groupes ≥10 personnes - visite simple
8,00 €1 gratuité pour 20 payants, chauffeur gratuit
What is Fonderie Paccard
The Fonderie Paccard is one of the last three working bell foundries of its size in France, founded in Sevrier in 1796 by Antoine Paccard. On the western shore of Lake Annecy, the site combines a Bell Museum that traces 230 years of history (museum founded in 1984) and the working foundry, where the seventh generation of bell founders still casts bells shipped around the world.
The foundry has cast more than 120,000 bells since 1796, including some world-famous masterpieces: the Savoyarde (1891, 18,835 kg — the largest bell in France, at Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre), the 57 replicas of the American Liberty Bell (1950) and the World Peace Bell (1998, 33 tonnes — the world's largest swinging bell, Newport, Kentucky).
Several visit formats are offered: self-guided museum visit (€9.50), guided museum + bell tower (€13, daily), guided museum + foundry (€14, weekends only) and the Thursday Discovery Tour (€20) with video, guided museum visit, live bell-casting demonstration and Ars Sonora concert — except in August (no casting due to summer heat). Free under 10.
Activities
What you can do here
Practical
Practical information
Address
215 route de Piron, 74320 Sevrier (visitor entrance to the museum — Paccard Fonderie SAS head office is at 40 route des Saintiers, not to be confused) View on map
Coordinates
45.844078° N · 6.150756° E (published by the museum)
Altitude
≈ 450 m (western shore of Lac d'Annecy)
Hours
Year-round: Monday to Saturday 10am-12:30pm and 2pm-6pm. Sunday and public holidays: AFTERNOON ONLY 2pm-6pm. Thursday by mandatory reservation (limited spaces). First 3 weeks of August: museum + foundry visit every day 10am-12:30pm and 2pm-6pm. Annual closure 25 December and 1 January. Last entry 2 hours before closing. Verified on the official website on 21 May 2026 — subject to seasonal changes.
Booking
Booking REQUIRED on Thursdays (limited spaces, Discovery Tour) and for weekend guided tours. By email musee@paccard.fr or via the contact form on musee-paccard.com. Phone 04 50 52 47 11. Verified 21 May 2026.
Parking
Free on site at 215 route de Piron. Direct access from the D1508 (lakeside road).
Pets
Policy not documented on the official website. Probably not admitted in the active foundry. Assistance dogs accepted.
Accessibility
Museum partially wheelchair accessible. The bell tower and some foundry workshops have staircases. Contact in advance on 04 50 52 47 11 to tailor the visit. Verified 21 May 2026.
Visit duration
1.5 hours for the self-guided or guided visit, up to 3 hours for the Thursday Discovery Tour (video + casting + concert)
Contact
+33 (0)4 50 52 47 11 · musee@paccard.fr. Verified 21 May 2026.
Distinction
Palme d'or de l'artisanat 2026 (Comité de France), a distinction announced by Maison Paccard.
Access
How to get there
By car
From Annecy centre (≈10 min) via the D1508 Lac d'Annecy lakeside road towards Sevrier - Albertville. The museum is on the right at 215 route de Piron, signposted 'Musée Paccard'. Free parking on site. From Albertville (≈30 min) via the same D1508.
Open in MapsPublic transport
Sibra network (Grand Annecy) line 51 (Annecy ↔ Saint-Jorioz/Doussard), stop 'Sevrier Piron' or 'Sevrier École' close to the museum. Annecy SNCF station 8 km away (15 min by car).
Open in MapsBy bike
The Lac d'Annecy greenway runs DIRECTLY IN FRONT of the museum — excellent cycling access. Bike parking on site. Flat 8 km route from Annecy centre.
Open in MapsNearest stops
- PIRON · SIBRA · 74 m
- ZAC PRES VIGNOBLES · SIBRA · 15 · 126 m
- PONTET CC · SIBRA · 127 m
- SIBRA · Fare : 1,50 € (carte) · 2 € (appli/SMS) · 2,50 € (à bord, 2026) · Official fares & timetables →
Transport data verified on 2026-06-15 · source transport.data.gouv.fr (Licence Etalab 2.0)
When to visit
When to visit
Fonderie Paccard can be visited year-round. The casting high season runs from March to July and September-October — Thursday is THE day to visit for the Discovery Tour (€20) with a live bell casting + Ars Sonora concert. NOTE: no casting in August (workshop temperatures too high). In return, for the first three weeks of August, the museum + foundry visit is open every day 10am-6pm (weekday and weekend, extended format). On Sundays and public holidays, opening is AFTERNOON ONLY (2pm-6pm). Fonderie Paccard celebrates its 230th anniversary in 2026 — worth watching for the event programme. Ideal alongside a stroll on the Lac d'Annecy greenway which passes in front of the museum. Booking required for the Thursday Discovery Tour, limited spaces.
Events : Fonderie Paccard celebrates its 230th anniversary in 2026. Ars Sonora concerts as part of the Thursday Discovery Tour (except August). No annual closure (except 25 Dec and 1 Jan). Programme on musee-paccard.com.
Nearby
Where to eat, drink, stay
Photos
Gallery
Been there? Share your photos — we'll add them to this page with credit. Tag #loisirs74 or email photos@loisirs74.fr
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I book at Fonderie Paccard?
Booking at Fonderie Paccard by email musee@paccard.fr, contact form on musee-paccard.com, or phone 04 50 52 47 11. Booking REQUIRED for the Thursday Discovery Tour (limited spaces) and weekend guided tours.
What are the prices at Fonderie Paccard?
Fonderie Paccard: self-guided museum visit €9.50 adult, €7 child 10-18, free under 10. Museum + Foundry (weekend) €14/€10. Museum + Bell Tower €13/€9. Thursday Discovery Tour (with casting + concert) €20. Annual passport €29. Verified 21 May 2026.
What are the opening hours of Fonderie Paccard?
Fonderie Paccard: Mon-Sat 10am-12:30pm and 2pm-6pm. Sun/public holidays: 2pm-6pm only. First 3 weeks of August: every day. Closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan. Verified on the official website on 21 May 2026 — subject to seasonal changes.
When can you see a bell casting at Fonderie Paccard?
Bell casting at Fonderie Paccard takes place ON THURSDAYS ONLY as part of the Discovery Tour (€20, by reservation), EXCEPT IN AUGUST (temperatures too high, no casting). The museum and foundry remain open for visits year-round.
What is the minimum age at Fonderie Paccard?
Fonderie Paccard is free for under-10s, child rate €7 for ages 10-18 (self-guided museum visit). The Thursday Discovery Tour with casting and concert is suited to ages 8-10 and up, not recommended for very young children (heat, noise).
What famous bells came out of Fonderie Paccard?
Fonderie Paccard has cast more than 120,000 bells since 1796, including: La Savoyarde (1891, 18,835 kg, Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre), 57 replicas of the Liberty Bell (1950), and the World Peace Bell (1998, 33 tonnes, the largest swinging bell in the world, Newport, KY).
Is Fonderie Paccard wheelchair accessible?
Partially. Fonderie Paccard has a wheelchair-accessible museum. The bell tower and some foundry workshops have staircases. Contact in advance on 04 50 52 47 11 to tailor the visit to your needs.
How do I get to Fonderie Paccard from Annecy?
Fonderie Paccard is 10 min from Annecy via the D1508 lakeside road, signposted 'Musée Paccard' in Sevrier (215 route de Piron). By Sibra bus line 51, stop 'Sevrier Piron'. The Lac d'Annecy greenway runs right in front — ideal for cycling.
Sources
Sources & verification
- musee-paccard.com
- musee-paccard.com
- musee-paccard.com
- musee-paccard.com
- en.wikipedia.org
- fr.wikipedia.org
- haute-savoie-tourisme.org
- lac-annecy.com
Multi-source verification at publication. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before travelling.
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