Les Forges de Pyrène museum in Montgaillard near Foix is home to the last working tilt hammer in existence (a listed historic monument). It comprises two museums – one dedicated to iron, the other to traditional trades – all in a 5 hectare site.
The museum of traditional trades (Musée des Métiers d'Autrefois) traces the history, techniques and secrets of 125 traditional trades through a remarkable collection of 6,500 tools. Not to be missed!
Meanwhile, the iron museum (Musée du Fer) looks back at Ariège's mining and steel past, exploring the history of iron and forges through documents, models, objects and tools, and showing the different stages from iron extraction to use.
Lively workshops demonstrating clog makers', blacksmiths' and bakers' techniques are put on in the barns.
