The third weekend of September is European Heritage Days, a wonderful opportunity for locals and visitors alike to explore various cultural sites, often for free or at a reduced rate. The options are honestly a bit overwhelming, but we prefer experiences that are not normally open to the public, making the decisions easier!
Last year we drove over 6 hours round-trip to the Royal Tennis Courts, around the corner from the Palace of Versailles, where the French Revolution began. This year, we chose to stay closer to home and spent the day exploring sites in Saumur. The most interesting was the Maison des Compagnons, a home and workshop for students of various trades, which exist throughout France.
We were given a private tour, as the only group with English as the native language, by a kind German girl who explained the system better for us. (It is much different than our experiences in the US, so hopefully this is 100% accurate! Please correct me on any inconsistencies. Also note English is not widely spoken outside major tourist areas and we were pleasantly surprised to be offered a tour in English.) Teenagers in France complete the main schooling system at 15 and then decide whether to keep studying for university or enter a trade.
Going the trade route, they leave home (at 15!) and move to a Maison des Compagnons, where they are given the opportunity to explore various trades before deciding which they prefer. At that point they become apprentices and complete a small project proving their enthusiasm for that trade. They then spend 7 years learning under their peers, who vary in age from 15-30.
The Compagnons travel around France, spending a year in each city, so they’re always learning under new conditions, exploring their country and meeting new people. During the day, they’re employed by various local companies, farms, etc that facilitate their training.
They also have a 6 week period of schooling (for math, language, etc), where they often go somewhere else, before returning to complete their year. Our guide emphasized there isn’t really a ‘teacher’ for each trade; it’s more like on-the-job training with their peers. She said there’s always someone around with greater experience who is more than willing to help.
Ben asked at what point does one become a master of their trade. She said in 1794 the idea of a master tradesman was abolished in France because each master had a monopoly on their area and basically refused to have any others ascend to the title, besides their own sons. This was completely unfair to newer tradesmen, and I’m sure overly expensive for the person hiring, so France no longer has a master designation in one’s trade. Once the apprenticeship is completed, the artisans are fully qualified and to continue further in their field usually requires specialization in specific techniques, materials etc.
That doesn’t mean they leave the Maison des Compagnons though. They continue to travel on their ‘Tour de France’ until the age of 30, perfecting their skills both in their trade and with other people! Every day when work ends, they are expected to appear clean and nicely dressed at 7pm for a communal meal. Groups of 6-8 share cramped dorm rooms with bunk beds. (30 people live and work in the Maison des Saumur.)
I asked if it was annoying for 25-30 year olds to do this alongside 15 and 16 year olds. Her face lit up as she expressed how fulfilling it was to have a tight knit ‘family’ away from their paternal homes. How lovely it was to have people to talk to who understand exactly what you’re going through. She said it was an amazing experience and she obviously meant it. I wish I would have experienced something similar just to have that sense of deep community!
Our guide said there are 27 different trades taught in the Compagnons throughout France, with Saumur hosting seven – cabinet makers, stone masons, shoe makers, pastry chefs, wine makers, cheese makers, and metal workers. Three of the seven trades at the Saumur Maison were present, demonstrating their skills and answering questions. Most were under 20 years old and new to Saumur within the last couple of weeks.
The house itself was built in the late 1970’s, although it looks much older and fits in with the architecture of center-ville Saumur perfectly. The site was basically empty when the Compagnons acquired it, as was the surrounding land, also built up in the seventies. (Which sadly does not fit in with the ancient aesthetic.) The Compagnons themselves constructed the buildings, using local tuffa stone and ancient techniques. This incredible spiral staircase was constructed by a mason with only 5 years experience!
While the Maison des Compagnons aren’t generally open to the public, you may be able to get a tour during next year’s European Heritage Days. We highly recommend you visit if you’re near one the third weekend of September! It’s very cool to see age-old techniques still being taught and used today, ensuring the knowledge passes for at least another generation.
At other times of the year, you can visit the Musée de Compagnonnage in Tours, France. We haven’t explored it ourselves yet, but our partner, Susan Walter with Loire Valley Time Travel recommends a visit and can guide you through the museum as well.
If you’re interested in learning even more about the Compagnons now, this page goes into much greater depth and even has old photos!