Does time really fly? Or does it simply tick by with captivating tales? Behold the Horloge monumentale. It is also known as the Horloge Charvet. This isn’t just any clock. It’s a spectacle of history and artistry.
This monumental clock stands seven meters tall. It is 2.2 meters wide. The Horloge monumentale is now on the facade of the Hotel de Gadagne. This hotel houses Lyon’s history museum.
Imagine Lyon in 1852. The Charvet workshop was founded. It crafted mechanical systems for Lyon’s grand clocks. In March 1864, Mr. Charvet, a clockmaker, sought permission to install a clock on the facade of his shop. His shop was located at 8 rue de la Poulaillerie. The prefecture granted his request.
The Horloge monumentale features automatons. These are also known as jacquemarts. The clock’s face bears the inscription Charvet Lyon 1852. This face alone weighs 100 kg. It controls the mechanism and the automatons. You can see them through a glass.
The mechanism includes five bronze bells. Each bell has a wooden puppet above it. These are Guignol and Gnafron. They strike the largest bell. Arlequin and Polichinelle are also present. These Italian characters strike the other bells every quarter hour. A soldier sounds a bugle every hour. This addition came after World War II. The soldier’s uniform changed with political events.
Originally, the clock operated with counterweights. These were hidden in the casing. The mechanism needed winding every two days. Later, it was electrified.
The Charvet company made the automatons. Bailly-Comte in Morez crafted the clock. He was from the High Jura region. Charvet was exempt from street usage fees. He provided the time to Lyon’s residents for free. This served the public interest.
Augis took over Charvet’s clock shop. They restored and electrified the mechanism in 1987-1988. Later, the Fortune company acquired the clock shop. They decided to auction it. Lyon intervened to protect this heritage. The auction was suspended.
After legal debates, Lyon bought the Horloge monumentale. The price was 100000 euros. After six months of restoration, the city moved the clock. It was placed on the Hotel de Gadagne’s facade.
The Maison Charvet evokes Lyon’s clockmaking past. Their clockmakers built clocks worldwide. The Horloge monumentale blends traditional and modern skills. It combines artistic creation. Beyond its majesty, the clock tells a story. This makes it exceptional.
Many clockmakers have maintained the Horloge monumentale. These include Deschannoz, Albert Eggmann and Pascal Morilla. Also, Christophe Quatrini, Guy Augis, Xavier Desmarquest, Jean-Jacques Marchand and Philippe Carry.
The Horloge monumentale remains a treasure. It is a symbol of Lyon’s rich history. So, take a moment to appreciate this horological marvel.