The fame of the companies of the valley of Bresle is due to its industrial, craft and historic past.

The history of the evolution of glass companies, of their products and their territory forms the base of a research work of an historian. Indeed, if initiatives were already taken, above all by local museums, this heritage of a big variety remains strongly scattered and was the object of no work of synthesis. That is why, a PhD student will begin a thesis in October 2008 about :

" History of the luxury bottling in the valley of Bresle from 1880 to the present day : companies, products and territory. "

This research work will be conducted by the doctoral school and the research laboratory of the university of Rouen and steered by Olivier Feiertag, professor of contemporary history, specialist of the economic and financial questions at the University of Rouen and Denis Varaschin, professor of contemporary history, specialist of the industrial, scientific and technical heritage, and vice-president of the Council of Administration of the University of Savoie.
It is a question today of consolidating the initiatives begun by the Glass Museum of Blangy-sur-Bresle and the museum "Traditions Verrières" of the city of Eu in the field of the valorization of the glass heritage. La Glass Vallée intends to emphasize the doctoral researches by various means, such as:
- The creation on the Internet of a database on the glass bottling and further information about the history of perfumes of France (creations, references, datings, forums of exchanges, picture library).
- Glass bottling items can be exhibited, exchanged or privaty sold.

Contact :
Ludivine Leriche
In charge of valorization of industrial heritage
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Phone : 0033.673.854.763

GLASS MUSEUM OF BLANGY-SUR-BRESLE
City of Blangy-sur-Bresle (Rue du Manoir)

Since 1993 the glass museum has been housed in the “Manoir de Fontaine”, XVI^th century building in the municipality of Blangy-sur-Bresle in the heart of the "Glass Vallée".
The permanent exhibition, spans 400 m² knowledgeable guides will tell you about the professions of men, women and children who worked in the glass factories of the Bresle valley during the centuries. You will learn about the refractory clay necessary for the construction of melting pots and ovens (and the secrets of their composition and pigmentation). You will be shown various techniques of production in the field of the cold glass, the cutting, the polishing, the lustring, the corking, the warm glass, the recuisson of the semiautomatic and manual, mechanical glass and the manufacturings. The manufacturing process of luxury flasks will be explained to you, and then you will be amazed by a demonstration by the glass-blower Hervé Quénu.

The Glass Museum opening hours from March 15^th until November 15^th :
- Saturday, Sunday and Monday 2 pm - 6 pm,
- Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10 am - 12 am and 2 pm - 6 pm,
Guided tours which require a minimum 4 people (time 45 minutes) are available at the following times
- 10:30 am; 2:30 pm; 3:30 pm; 4:30 pm.
Each of them is followed by a demonstration commented by the glass-blower of a duration of 30 minutes every day of opening (shop).

Price lists for individual person :
- Adult : € 4.70
- Children : € 1.90 (more than 6 years, school, disabled persons).
- Children under 6 years : free

Price lists for groups (minimum size of 25 persons, maximum of 75 persons) :
- Adult : € 3.80
- Children : € 1.90
- Season ticket : € 11.20

For further information or to make a booking, contact :
Phone : 0033.235.944.479 (the secretariat is open all year long)
Fax.: 0033.235.940.614
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MUSEUM « TRADITIONS VERRIERES »
City of Eu (Rue Sémichon)

The museum “Traditions verrières” explains the history of glass production from Ancient Egypt (approximately 6 000 years ago) until the present day (current automatic machines).

You will be able to view :
- GLASS from Egypt dating 5000 years BC.
- An oven discovered in Turkey 1500 years BC.
- Glass factories in the forest in the Middle Ages.
- Ovens with jars or with melting pots.
- The first semi-automatic machine used : 100 years ago.
- On the march : the Roirant machine and the Lynch machine.
- The I.S. machine which produces our flasks today.
- The various glass techniques such as screenprinting, frosting...
- The flat glass and the stained glasses : muff, chive, float-glass...

In the second room there is :
- "Magnificent collection" of perfume flasks.
- The perfume : a French speciality!!!

Prize-winning "Bravos of the reception" guides will bring alive the history of the glassworkers.
The museum is open from Easter until All Saints Day's, every Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 2:30 pm till 6 pm. Opened also on Wednesdays during July, August and September. Please note the museum is closed every Sunday in October.

For further information or make a booking, contact :
Museum phone : 0033.235.862.191
Tourist office phone : 0033.235.860.468

ASSOCIATION « MANOIR DE FONTAINE »
City of Blangy-sur-Bresle (Rue du Manoir)

The Manoir de Fontaine is located in the heart of the bottling industry, and is a non profit-making association created within the framework of the law of 1901. This association was born in November 1995. To date, it consists of 70 members. The purposes of this association are registered in its statutes :
- Global animation of the “Manoir de Fontaine”
- Conception and realization of programs of cultural activities...
- Protection of the heritage glassworker in the heart of the valley of Bresle through diverse demonstrations such as temporary exhibitions and the organization of the " Feast of the glass " which takes place every year, the second weekend of August.
The Association of the “Manoir de Fontaine” wants to show diverse technical abilities of the bottling professions, where visitors can see : jewels, lamps, engravings, modelling, glass spun in the blowtorch, the enamels on coppers, sculptures, furnitures, art of entertaining, stained glasses and glass dough being demonstrated.

In 2007, a glass-blower present at the "Feast of the glass" told that when she was 16 years old, she visited one of the very first "Feast of the glass". She was fascinated so much that she has decided to follow this vocation.

Photo : A. David Photo : P. Boquet

Rue du Manoir
76 340 Blangy-sur-Bresle
Phone : 0033.235.930.593
Fax. : 0033.962.129.070
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