My wife and I just returned from a fantastic two-week vacation in
France, and I wanted to pass along information on a wonderful museum
that we stumbled upon in the city of Limoges.  We were just walking
around the city, after appeasing the ladies who were shopping for
Limoges China (the city's main claim to fame, apparently).

In one of the main squares of the town, I noticed a big old record
player with a massive horn staring at me through the window of a hotel.
We drifted inside, and found that the owner of this hotel is apparently
quite an avid collector of mechanical music instruments: everything
from Polyphon disc music boxes (both wall and floor models) to roll
harmonicas to roll-a-saxes.  And dozens of record players.

Stuff I've never seen before.  All superbly displayed around the hotel,
in the lobby, hallways, and in the restaurant.  All fully restored,
beautiful, and playable.  What a wonderful place!  The hotel clerk
allowed us to nose around to our hearts content, although she did not
play anything for us.  Truly this "find" made my day!

Upon return I found this museum listed in Philippe Rouille's museum
list, so I am not telling you anything new.  But this place surely
deserves a stop if you happen to be traveling through Limoges, France:

  Hotel de la Paix
  25, Place Jourdan
  87000 Limoges, France

Regards

Ray Fairfield