The invention relates to a machine (100) for manufacturing an optical fibre (200), characterised in that the machine comprises: at least one capstan (20, 21) and at least one pulley (22), which define a run of the optical fibre in a main area (2) of the machine, an optical fibre guiding system comprising a transmission member (25) and a clamping element (26) that is rigidly connected to the transmission member (25) and is able to retain an end of the optical fibre (200), the transmission member (25) being arranged parallel to the run of the optical fibre, a device (5) for having the clamping element (26) automatically grip the optical fibre (200), said device comprising: means (53) for placing the optical fibre in a starting position in which the optical fibre runs at a distance from the clamping element in a direction extending substantially perpendicularly to the clamping element (26), a fibre-spacing finger (51), that can move between a neutral position at a distance from the optical fibre located in the starting position and a position in which the finger (51) keeps the optical fibre at a distance from the starting position in such a way as to bring the optical fibre into an intermediate position opposite the clamping element (26), said means being designed to open the clamping element (26) when the finger (51) has brought the optical fibre (200) into the intermediate position and close the clamping element again when the finger (51) has returned to the neutral position thereof.