Museum de la Toile de Jouy

The museum presents cloth manufactured by Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf.

Created in 1977 and housed in the Château de Montébello, the museum moved in 1991 to the Château de l'Eglantine, recently renovated. This château was constructed in 1891 by the Maréchal Canrobert, aide de camp of Louis Napoléon Bonaparte.

The museum consists of six main rooms:

The historical room: the manufacturing and atmosphere of the time

The salon Oberkampf

The Jouy 1760 room (18th century)

The Jouy room from the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries

The Jouy room from 1810-1821

The room representing the manufacture of the fabric in the provinces and in foreign countries.

Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf, a young, German industrialist created the fabric printing company in 1759 in Jouy-en-Josas. He chose this site because of the water purity of the Bièvre.

Ahead of its time by successfully printing fabric, the company expanded its terrain rapidly.

With increased protectionism in the 19th century, Oberkampf was able to create his own spinning mill. At this time during the Empire, his manufacturing company employed as many as 1,300.

One of the wings of the former plant houses the Jouy-en-Josas city hall.

The museum has temporary exhibits.

The most recent exhibition was clothing, costumes and jewels and secrets of fashion in the 18th century.

The next exhibition is called "Carte blanche" and will take place between November 25, 2005 and June 25, 2006. A dozen designers will welcome the public into their universe. They must create a décor with the toile de Jouy.

Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information visit the website for le Musée de la Toile de Jouy.

Musée de la Toile de Jouy

54 rue Charles de Gaulle

78350 Jouy-en-Josas

Open: Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Closed: Monday, December 25 and January 1

Admission: 4,30 euros

Telephone: 01 39 56 48 64

Getting there :

By train from Paris: Gare d'Austerlitz RER C MONA to Gare de Massy Palaiseau - (37 minutes) change to RER CIME Gare de Jouy en Josas, direction Gare de Versailles Chantiers (16 minutes)

The center of town is about a 10 minute walk. This is one of several ways to reach the château.

The SNCF website can provide exact times of departure and arrival. Otherwise, start at Gare d'Austerlitz and the departures seem rather frequent (every 10 - 15 minutes).

Cost: 3,40 euros one way

I have not tried this yet, please let me know if you do.

By car: RN 118 et A 86, sortie Jouy-en-Josas

Buying fabric

A website "Toile de Jouy" gives you the chance to look at the 17 different styles (Bastille, les 4 saisons/seasons, Robinson Crusoë, etc.). Click on the style name and you will find the colors available, size, price and the history of the print!

More information

To know more the Musée Virtual du Protestantisme Français provides a history section on Oberkampf and the manufacture of the fabric.

http://www.jouy-en-josas.fr/iso_album/dossier_de_presse_en_anglai.pdf

This link provides a press release in English about the Museum's collections

 http://www.jouy-en-josas.fr/ This link provides information about the town (French). If you click on "découvrir" you will find a large quantity of links.

http://www.jouy-en-josas.fr/pageLibre0001020e.html - practical information about the château/museum

http://www.jouy.inra.fr/acces/acces.shtml This link provides different ways to reach Jouy-en-Josas: train or car.