Behind the windows of a refurbished building, just a stone’s throw from the École des Mines, a laser cutter is engraving plywood whilst a teenager welds the wires of his first robot. The FabLab Moebius is a digital fabrication workshop open to everyone aged 12 and over, where you learn by doing: you arrive with an idea, you leave with an object, and, above all, with the know-how to make it.
An adventure that began in Cély and took in Barbizon
The story begins in 2014 in Cély-en-Bière, when Naimeric Villafruela set up an organisation focused on «getting things done». It grew, moved to Barbizon, and then set up its machinery in Fontainebleau. With Henry Proudhon, a researcher at the CNRS and chairman of the association, he opened this ‘third place’ in late 2024, with support from the City, the École des Mines, the Pays de Fontainebleau and the Region. The name comes from the Möbius strip, this strip, which has only one side: a nod to a dual-natured structure, a organisation for the general public and one a cooperative (SCIC) serving local businesses and the local area.
What you’ll find in the workshop
The FabLab describes itself as a large Swiss Army knife. There, you come across a CNC milling machine, a laser cutterand 3D printers, a 3D scanner and electronics workbenches littered with Raspberry Pi boards and micro:bits. Members have access to the equipment – some of which requires compulsory training – and tutored workshops teach them about modelling, 3D printing, programming or repairs. Those who don’t want to make anything themselves can also commission a project from the team: a prototype, a restoration piece for an antique piece of furniture, a sign or embossed logo, or a small batch.
The 12–18 age group season
That’s the centre’s main attraction, and the number of young people signing up is constantly rising. This season, teenagers can learn to programme their own video game, from Scratch to Python, building a sumo robot able to push the opponent out of the ring, programme an experience for the’Astro Pi computer on the International Space Station, or design a mini powder rocket launched for real in Villaroche, with a raw egg to bring back intact. Full details are on our Youth workshops at the Moebius FabLab in Fontainebleau. The organisation issues a certificate which secondary school pupils can highlight on Parcoursup, and the supervisors are all volunteers.
A co-working space and a training room
Since spring 2026, the venue has also been letting out six co-working spaces on a monthly or annual basis, with a kitchen and high-speed internet, as well as a training room for eight people. Handy for a self-employed person who prefers to work amongst the machines rather than on their own at home.
For those who are curious but aren’t into DIY
The FabLab also takes its activities beyond its own walls. Once a month, its Science Café at the École des Mines invites a researcher to present their work, followed by a discussion with the audience. And to keep the scientific curiosity alive through reading, the médiathèque municipale de Fontainebleau is just a few streets away.
