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New crystal museum opens

featured in News & reviews Author Ellie Mahoney, Chamonix Editor Updated

Born in the spirit of the young Chamoniards who initiated the “Club des Cristaux” in the late 1960's, Chamonix's crystal museum, the only one in France dedicated to alpine minerals, opened its doors just before Christmas after 40 years of planning.

The project came about as a result of a partnership between the Town of Chamonix and the local crystal and mineral club and is dedicated to alpine crystals, but in particular to those found in the Mont Blanc Massif - one of the largest crystal and mineral rich terrains in Europe. The museum boasts over 250 exceptional examples of crystals found right here in the Chamonix valley over the last 40 years, particularly smoked quartz and rose fluorine. The exhibited pieces originate from private and public collections largely donated by members of the local crystal club.

Jean-Pierre Siret, head of the museums crystal collection and a crystal seeker himself, explains that the museum is intended to take visitors on a “veritable journey to the heart of the Alps”. The exhibition will also include a series of informative panels (from April) explaining how crystals are formed, the part they played in the formation of the Alps and how they are finally extracted.

The opening of the museum should secure the future of the valley's “cristalliers” as the public craze for crystals grows and grows. And there are still many more crystals to discover. 50 years ago, only a small portion of the population had any interest in crystals. Today the interest of collectors is enormous with Americans in particular, regularly offering crazy prices (up to €50 000) to secure certain crystals for their collections.

The display will not remain static with plans to regularly exchange pieces with museums throughout the world in order to bring visitors a wider cross-section of these natural treasures.

Situated in the Espace Tiarraz exhibition hall (behind the church), the collection is displayed over 250m2 and offers visitors a dazzling array of crystals and minerals that is guaranteed to take your breath away.

Opening Times: Daily 14.00 – 19.00 (also 10.00 – 12.00 during school holidays)
Entrance: €5 (including entrance to the Gay-Couttet photographic exhibition)