François Junod, automation engineer at Sainte-Croix

Mechanical art - UNESCO Intangible Heritage

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Nestled in the whiteness of the canton of Vaud, the village of Sainte-Croix is home to some of the most famous craftsmen in Switzerland. For 40 years, François Junod has given life to creations of great complexity. The manufacture of an automaton requires hundreds of hours of work to obtain an enchanting result. Behind the magic hides mechanisms of extreme sophistication. But beyond technical performance, you have to breathe life into a look. The latter draws the personality with in particular another essential accessory: the costume. Tinkering, inventing, dismantling... that’s all François loves. His know-how, he owes in large part to Michel Bertrand. From his mentor, he also learned the need to transmit. Benoît Augsburger, his apprentice, represents the new generation. Orders come from all over the world, especially since mechanical art has been on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage since last December.

https://metiersdart.ch/fr_CH/metiers-d-art/repertoire-artisan/junod-francois