Soapstone Museum

A place to celebrate the "Bagnard"

The building that houses the Maison de la Pierre ollaire in Champsec was built in 1875 by Pierre-François Gard. In addition to family flats, it included a workshop where soapstone stoves from Bocheresse, a quarry located above the hamlet of Bonatchiesse, were manufactured for almost a century. Round or square, commonly known as "bagnards", these stoves were - and still are - renowned for their exceptional capacity to accumulate and restore heat for many hours. Let yourself be guided by the keeper, Catherine Gabbud, and discover the geological origins of this rock with its fascinating properties, its various uses since Roman times, and a collection of soapstone creations from different continents and dating from various periods. And don't miss the exterior walls and window frames, also made of soapstone!

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