In 1854, the instrument in the collegiate church of Saint-Hippolyte in Poligny was deemed to be in an irreparable state: the church council decided to have a new instrument built as soon as possible, based on the improved system currently in use. On 7 March 1858, the town council voted a grant of 8,000 francs to the church council.

On 13 July, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, without having been asked to do so, submitted an estimate for the construction of the new organ. But how was Cavaillé-Coll contacted? The question remains open, given that he had never worked in the region. The proposed instrument was to be fitted with all the improvements of the time: the combination pedals then in use at Cavaillé-Coll and a pneumatic machine similar to that of Barker. Cavaillé also proposed the re-use of an old case that he had in his workshop: the 1687 case, which can be admired today, was built by Jean de Joyeuse for Saint-Michel Cathedral in Carcassonne. Cavaillé dismantled it when he installed his own organ in the cathedral. The Poligny case is an exact 8-foot replica of the organ in Auch cathedral. The entire instrument was to cost 30,000 francs (including 5,000 for the case, half the price of a new one). After a few administrative twists and turns, the organ was delivered, harmonised on site by Félix Reinburg and then inaugurated by the famous Lefébure-Wély on 24 November 1859: a masterpiece by Cavaillé-Coll!

The Poligny organ is a contemporary of the organ at Sainte-Clotilde in Paris, the instrument that inspired César Franck to write his organ works. The instrument, listed as a “historic monument”, was perfectly restored in 1990 by the organ builder Dominique Lalmand and inaugurated by Michel Chapuis.

Source: https://orguepoligny.weebly.com/