Carillon du Mas Rillier, Bell tower in Miribel, France

The Carillon du Mas Rillier is an octagonal bell tower in Miribel that houses more than fifty bells of varying sizes. The largest bell weighs over two metric tons and produces a deep, resonant sound across the surrounding area.

The campanile was built on the initiative of Abbot Thomas, who commissioned architect Louis Mortamet, and was inaugurated on 20 July 1947, six years after the nearby Virgin statue. Its carillon of fifty bells was cast in 1938 at the Paccard foundry near Annecy and shown in Lille in 1939; dismantled in 1940, it was bought by Thomas and hidden at Mas Rillier until the Liberation.

The carillon is played by a carillonneur, a role held since 2017 by Adrien Parret, after predecessors including André Combe (1952–1986) and Jean-Bernard Lemoine (1987–2005). Each June the esplanade hosts the Swing sous les étoiles jazz festival, whose programme brings leading carillonneurs such as Wim Ruessink in 2011 to play the instrument.

The Colibri Line 1 bus stops at Madone station, which is the most convenient way to reach this location. From the station, a short walk brings you to the tower on Montée de la Grande Perrière.

The bell system operates entirely without electricity, relying instead on manual operation through a keyboard and foot pedals. This mechanical approach means every performance is a hands-on craft that depends on the skill of the musician.