Around 1420-1440, the Jouffroy family, recently ennobled, had the Tour des Échevins built, which it rented for an annual rent to the city, hence its name Tour des Échevins (municipal magistrates responsible for assisting the mayor). In the 14th and 15th centuries, Luxeuil was an independent town in the county of Burgundy. France and the German Empire covet the lands of Luxeuil because of their geographical position. This is why this town hall also served as a watchtower in times of war to warn the population of the danger. A privileged example of radiant art and its time, at the crossroads between flamboyant Gothic and the beginnings of the Renaissance, the tower testifies to the wealth of the city and its openness to new artistic trends. Rising to the highest point of the city, it is a vast rectangular construction (8 meters by 12), 33 meters high and with richly decorated facades.
Depending on the time and needs, the different spaces of the tower served as an archive center, a civil prison, a library and an antiques depository over the discoveries in the city, until the creation of 'a museum in 1865. After having been an archaeological museum (since 1865), the Tour des Échevins became the municipal museum of art, history and archeology of Luxeuil-les-Bains.
All the Gallo-Roman collections present in particular the work of ceramics, a marker of local artisanal activity in the ancient city of Luxovium. Remarkable stone funerary stelae from the 1st and 3rd centuries are exhibited in the large room on the ground floor. The last two floors are devoted to painting by 19th and early 20th century artists as well as temporary exhibitions.
From archeology to 20th century paintings, the museum offers a beautiful stroll through time and from its summit a splendid panorama of the city.
