Espace des Mondes Polaires : Musée - Patinoire/Piste de roller quad
About This Museum
You'd never expect to find a slice of the Arctic nestled in the Jura Mountains, but here it is. This place is so much more than a museum; it's an experience that throws you headfirst into the stark beauty of the poles. One moment you're gazing at a massive diorama of a polar bear on an ice floe, and the next, you can literally strap on skates and glide across the ice (or wheels in summer) right outside the exhibit hall. It’s this wild, wonderful mix of education and pure fun that makes it unforgettable.
Collection Highlights
The heart of the collection is Jean-Louis Étienne's personal gear from his polar expeditions, including his iconic red sled. You'll come face-to-face with a towering emperor penguin specimen and learn about the incredible adaptations of Arctic fauna. The displays on climate change are particularly powerful, using real ice core samples to tell a story millions of years old.
Visitor Information
Check their website for the seasonal schedule—the rink seamlessly transitions from a proper ice-skating surface in winter to a smooth roller quad track when it warms up. It's brilliantly family-friendly, letting you burn off energy after soaking in all that knowledge.
Architecture & Building
The building itself feels like an abstracted iceberg or a glacial crevasse, with sharp, angular lines clad in silvery wood and vast panels of glass that mirror the surrounding landscape.
Contact & Location
Address: 146, Rue de la Croix de la Teppe, Les Rochers du Pellas, Prémanon, Saint-Claude, Jura, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France métropolitaine, 39220, France
Phone: +33 3 39 50 80 20
Website: Visit Website
