What is an ÉCONOMUSÉE®?

When know-how becomes living heritage

An ÉCONOMUSÉE® is much more than just a workshop or a shop. It is a unique concept that marries traditional craftsmanship with living cultural transmission. Developed in Quebec in the 1990s by ethnologist Cyril Simard, the Économusée is a place where the artisan or producer works in front of the public, while sharing their story, techniques, and know-how.

The goal? To preserve, promote, and pass on traditional trades, while allowing these artisan businesses to thrive economically. The public does more than just buy a product: they discover the soul of the craft, the culture of the location, and the skill of the creator.

The ÉCONOMUSÉE® Network brings together more than 110 artisans in 8 countries, including Canada, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Sweden, British Columbia, and Northern Europe.

This network works to:

• Promote intangible heritage

• Foster cultural and sustainable tourism

• Support local artisan businesses

• Create authentic educational experiences for visitors

🌻 The Ferme Tournevent Oil Mill Économusée

Since 2024, Ferme Tournevent has proudly been part of this network as the ÉCONOMUSÉE® for Oil Producers. Located in Hébertville, in the heart of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, the farm grows and processes organic nordic grains to produce a range of cold-pressed oils, such as canola, hemp, camelina, or flax oil.

By visiting this Économusée, visitors can:

• Recognize the different cultivated plants in an interpretive garden

• Discover the stages of transforming seeds into oil
  

• Observe the modern and artisanal equipment used

• Learn the importance of cold pressing to preserve nutrients

• Taste the oils and understand their benefits

• Learn more about organic, local, and sustainable farming
  

• Take the time to relax in an enchanting setting while enjoying local drinks and snacks, such as roasted buckwheat tea and blueberry squares made with hemp press cake, available at the Économusée's café-boutique space.
  

This immersive journey highlights the farm's commitment to the environment, regional know-how, and a desire for transparency with consumers.

🧭 Some inspiring examples of ÉCONOMUSÉES® in Quebec and beyond

Here is a selection of Économusées that illustrate the richness and diversity of the artisan trades being showcased:

⚜️ Quebec

• Verrerie d’art Touverre – Saguenay: Glass artisan using ancient techniques.

• Délices du Lac-Saint-Jean - Albanel: Jam making and wild blueberry processing

• Savonnerie des Diligences – Eastman: Craft soap production using natural ingredients.

• Le Forgeron d’Or – Sainte-Marie: Jeweler specializing in custom-made wedding rings and pieces.

• Papeterie Saint-Gilles – Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive: Handmade paper production.

• Camerises Mistouk - Labrecque: Haskap berry cultivation and canning

🌍 Elsewhere in the world

• Saltverk (Iceland) – Harvesting and production of sea salt in geothermal pools.

• Ostindiefararen Götheborg (Sweden) – Replica of a historic ship and maritime trades.

• Buttermilk Design (Ireland) – Traditional wooden furniture making.

👉 More info on the network: artisansaloeuvre.com

🌱 Why visit an ÉCONOMUSÉE®?

Visiting an Économusée means:

• Discovering an ancestral trade through everyday gestures

• Meeting passionate artisans who share their story

• Active learning by participating in unique activities

• Supporting the local economy and committed businesses

• And above all, having an authentic and human experience

In a constantly accelerating world, Économusées offer a pause: a return to origins, raw materials, and the hands that shape them.

✨ In conclusion

At Ferme Tournevent, the Oil Mill ÉCONOMUSÉE is much more than a place of production: it is a space for meeting between tradition and innovation, between organic farming and living culture. It is part of a global movement that values know-how, sustainability, and transmission.

By choosing to visit an Économusée, you become an actor in living heritage, all while giving renewed meaning to your purchases and your discoveries.

📍 Plan your visit today and come discover how the sun of Lac-Saint-Jean is transformed… into precious, tasty oil!

➡️ To explore available activities and packages: www.tournevent.ca/activités