Wood-fired kilns set the pace of Les Grands Feux in La Borne, with loading, firing and unloading carried out in public. Ceramicists from many places exchange working knowledge around the furnaces. Studio visits, exhibitions and practical workshops extend the programme from utilitarian pots to sculpture, revealing the range of practices sustained by this pottery village.
Tag: workshops
Brenne Basketry: From Wild Plants to Woven Hoops
Wild plants gathered in the Brenne become the material for hoop-based basketry with Frédérique Ardibus. The course starts outdoors with collecting, then moves into successive sessions of weaving and making. Organised by the regional natural park, the small-group activity follows the craft from raw vegetation to a formed object, with all sessions forming one learning sequence.
Loches: Paintings and a Shared Heritage Mural
Restoration of local heritage becomes the subject of a shared mural in Loches. Members of the public are invited to take part in painting it, bringing their own contribution to a collective image. A painting exhibition accompanies the activity in a garden setting, placing finished works beside a new piece that develops through participation.
L’arbre photographique: Imagined Families in Pictures
Old photographs become the beginnings of an invented family in L’arbre photographique. Children aged nine to fourteen handle images from different periods, arranging characters together on a shared timeline. Gwenola Furic, a specialist in photographic conservation and restoration, leads the workshop, combining attention to fragile visual heritage with a collaborative exercise in imagining lives.
Le Grand Couvert: Food and Crafts of Berry
Berry’s art of living takes a practical turn at Le Grand Couvert, where gastronomy meets arts and crafts. Hospitality professionals and students work together on a programme of workshops, talks and a feast. A concert adds music to the gathering, which connects the region’s food culture with the skills of those who cook, make and welcome guests.
Ramène ta pomme: Fruit Pressing and Family Activities
Ramène ta pomme turns apples, pears and quinces brought by participants into sterilised juice to take home. The CPIE Pays de Bourgogne pairs fruit pressing with land art, a music workshop led by Maïwenn Le Guyader and stories from Martine Forrer. Donkey activities, tree climbing and wooden games from the Autun Toy Library add to the programme; pressing slots require booking.
KURA Miso-Making Workshop in Varennes-sous-Dun
KURA brings Japanese fermentation into a Burgundy workshop centred on miso made with French ingredients. After tasting the brewery’s range, participants mix kôji, an organic pulse and Guérande salt into their own batch. Each leaves with two kilos to ferment at home, along with advice on caring for the paste and using it in soups, sauces and other cooking.
Ty Bougies Candle-Making in Tréguier
Laëtitia introduces candle-making through touch, scent and a small candle that participants pour themselves. At Ty Bougies in Tréguier, the visit moves from handling wax to exploring the fragrances used in the craft. The associated Ty Créateurs shop also displays work by other local artisans, extending the encounter with Breton handmade production.
Ar Boutoù Nevez Breton Dance Classes
Ar Boutoù Nevez introduces Breton dancing in Roscoff through classes for newcomers. The association began with four friends at the bar de la Marine, where its first lessons took place on the pétanque ground. Its Breton name means ‘new shoe’, and its history includes appearances at Gouel Rosko and the Fête de l’Oignon de Roscoff.
Kig Ha Farz Cooking Workshop in Saint-Suliac
Kig Ha Farz takes centre stage in a hands-on Saint-Suliac workshop led by a chef from northern Finistère, the dish’s home territory. Participants cook the broth, vegetables, pork and beef, then prepare both white farz and buckwheat-based black farz with the indispensable lipig sauce. The session ends around the shared meal, keeping the recipe’s Breton names, textures and communal character intact.