At the end of August 2017, the P&TS staff were lucky enough to be able to visit the workshop of the famous and talented automaton maker, François Junod http://www.francoisjunod.com, in Sainte-Croix, a small town in the Jura mountains at an altitude of 1,100 metres, home of the Swiss music box industry. François Junod is unique in Switzerland, combining his engineering skills with those of a very creative artist. This trade of creator and manufacturer of automata has become very rare, and fortunately François Junod is passing on his know-how to his employees to ensure the future of this marvellous art.
When admiring his creations we began to understand the complexity of his work and and we were impressed by the beauty and charm of his pieces. Several of his creations can be found all over the world with discerning collectors and some Swiss luxury watch manufacturers. One of his latest masterpieces marrying a high degree of technical difficulty with a rare beauty is called La Fée Ondine, (Fairy Ondine)
We rounded off our visit near the summit of the Chasseron, as you should, with a fondue!
