Michel Marcu’s Automaton Museum

Small, lively with a shock of white hair, Michel Marcu reminds visitors of Gepetto. Installed in Lusigny, he doesn't make puppets but automatons. And since 1991, he has been letting the public enjoy them too.

Michel Marcu is both a restorer and collector, but above all a creator of genius. Passionate about engineering and completely self-taught, he is now known throughout the world by automaton enthusiasts. There are now only 5 automaton makers left in France.

There is something else about Michel Marcu that is a reminder of Pinocchio's father. He is obstinate and absolutely refuses to talk about him. He hides behind "his children”, the automata that fill his museum, his house and his workshop.

Visiting the museum is totally enchanting, the discovery of a dreamlike fairytale world, as much for adults as for children. A few turns of the key and the characters come to life. The owner talks about the movements with so much warmth!

A random selection that can be viewed during a visit: Mozart at the piano, a dancer from the Moulin Rouge, Puss-in-boots, a Smoking Monkey. Here each of the 40 pieces is unique!