Corcelles Swift Day

The building housing the Corcelles hammer mill is located on what historian Quiquerez calls ‘the iron road’ linking Erschwil to Crémines (Creux-de-mines). There is every reason to believe that it was originally a grain mill and became a coppersmith's workshop in 1791. At that time, the large water wheel powered by the Gabiatte river drove three hammers. The iron used to make axes, shears, gentian fangs, lombards, picks and ice axes for the region's farmers, lumberjacks and craftsmen.
The manufacture of agricultural utensils, the strapping of cart wheels and the production of fences continued until 1945.

Today, guided tours of the iron museum and its 300 tools are accompanied by demonstrations of how the forge worked, with the hammer still in use.

Discover, or rediscover, the forge museum and the taillanderie workshop. The hammer and grindstone are powered by water, just as they were back in the day.