TOP 10 attractions and museums for families
In the great outdoors, or inside when its raining, the Jura Mountains abound in sites and museums that the whole family can enjoy. Toys, spectacles, ecomuseum, polar environments, comté cheese, natural habitats... whichever topic you choose, there's something to keep the children happy. Many reflect the history and craftsmanship of our mountains! Here's betting they'll have your children shouting for joy and leaping about like mountain goats!
Franche-Comté Houses Museum
Ecomuseum AKA the time machineTo get a glimpse of the country life of yesteryear, why not take your children to the "Musée de Maisons Comtoises"?
Imagine, 15 hectares of greenery in the great outdoors and thirty authentic 17th-19th-century farmhouses. A walk through time and your chance to discover the simple homes where people lived at one with nature and her multiple resources. In other words, life as it used to be, with no internet and no mobile phones!
When it comes to activities, your children can embark on a treasure hunt, join a cookery workshop, and watch live demonstrations of the daily activities of yesteryear.
Toy Museum
Santa's workshopAs the name suggests, your children are going to love the "Musée du Jouet"! Imagine, a vast space filled with toys by the thousand. Some are precious, others are ancient, many are emblems of the craftsmanship and the economic history of Jura.
The children won't be sent to sleep by scholarly speeches. Here, they'll be administered an antidote of anecdotes.
They'll also be able to express their creativity in the hands-on workshops: modelling, moulding, drawing, DIY, sewing, photography and so on. And they even enjoy a sense of pride as they leave with their own creations!
Polar Centre
A polar adventureIf you think snow and ice only exist in Frozen, take your children to the "Espace des Mondes Polaires" in Prémanon! Games, activities and experiments, all they need to explore the worlds of the North and South Poles and related scientific research.
They'll find out everything they want to know about the Inuits, the polar bear, and the other people and animals that inhabit these regions. An adventure that should fascinate them while introducing them to the issues of climate change and to the importance of preserving the polar regions which tell us a lot about the planet as a whole.
And the ice on the cake is that there's even a real skating rink to have fun on the ice!
Maturing cellars
Comté, a feast for the tastebudsA maturing cellar tour is a great way to demonstrate the "5 senses" to children. With the feel of a natural cave, the cellar is in fact an underground cathedral where more than a million Comté cheeses have been ripened.
The immense rows of cheese wheels are certain to impress children (and we all feel like children before these mazes of cheese), as are the explanations provided throughout the tour.
Not forgetting the cheese tasting at the end of the tour, to analyse all the aromatic subtlety of this great cheese.
Spectacles Museum
Glasses and pince-nez of all kindsFeast your eyes at the "musée de la lunette" in Morez. Glasses, pince-nez, lorgnons… come and discover rare objects from the past as well as prototypes for the future.
It was in Morez that the very first pair of glasses was invented in the 13th century. The people of the Jura Mountains later turned their expertise to developing the local spectacles industry, which is still reputed internationally for its quality and design.
Originally just a practical item, spectacles have become an essential fashion accessory! The eye tests and optical illusions promise an amusing experience to share with your family or friends!
Reserve Centre
Protected species, a passionHead for the "Maison de la Réserve" for a nature immersion surrounded by Jura's natural environment. The permanent exhibition and various activities are designed to make children and adults more mindful of nature. From pastures to forests and wetlands, you'll find out all there is to know about these natural habitats and the plants and animals that inhabit them.
A stone's throw away, prolong your excursion in the great outdoors at the Remoray Lake Nature Reserve, where you can walk around the lake and observe swans, coots, grebes and other waterfowl. The birth of a passion perhaps!
Peugeot Museum
Vintage cars and a legendary brandIs your youngest mad about toy cars? Then head for the "musée Peugeot" to show them the real thing.
In this museum, you'll find out all about the legendary brand with the lion symbol, through an enormous collection of vehicles and other items. Saw blades, coffee grinders, sewing machines, bicycles, motorbikes and, of course, automobiles.
During the tour, the whole family will discover that in the Montbéliard region, cars are much more than a simple means of travel. Here they represent a whole industrial venture that has lasted over 200 years and is still alive and well today.
Besançon Citadel
A must-see tourist attractionBuilt in the 17th century by the illustrious military engineer Vauban, nowadays the citadel of Besançon is a larger-than-life recreational playground with plenty of surprises in store.
For an animated discovery of the life and times of a great architect, the choice is yours: a rampart walk, an immersive multimedia show, an interactive smartphone-guided exploration of the site, or a dramatised walkabout in the company of an actor.
And if the family are still not satisfied, the animal parks will do the trick. Exotic creatures at the zoo, domestic animals at the children's farm, all sorts of creepy-crawlies at the insectarium, nocturnal creatures at the noctarium, and fish of all shapes and sizes at the aquarium... Prepare for an afternoon of madness!
Bonnet Silkworks
Plunge into the world of silk and fashion"Soieries Bonnet" is an old silk-weaving workshop, still the original, where children and adults are thrown back into the glorious past of silk. Between the machines, fabrics and savoir-faire, your children will weave their way from discovery to discovery. This should pique their curiosity!
They can then take their place in a genuine workshop and try their hand at basic weaving techniques, painting on fabric, and even feeding the silkworms.
Upper Jura Nature Park Centre
Packed with the nature of JuraThe "Maison du Parc du Haut-Jura" is one of a kind and should keep the children happy. In a colourful, modern setting, everything invites them to play and interact. They can touch, listen, smell and handle objects as their grey matter goes to work!
Because behind this entertaining universe lies the educational challenge of introducing children to the Upper Jura Nature Park, its natural riches and its major issues (industry, tourism, etc.). Here, the saying "play as you learn" takes on a whole new meaning.
