The masterly hand | Musée du compagnonnage

The hand

« Glory to labour, shame on idleness. Labour and Honour are our wealth. » Such was the motto showing on the diplomas of the compagnon carpenters in the 19th century. It still keeps its relevance in our day, for the compagnons know that the exercise of their craft, the knowledge, the efforts, the labour, the hand and the tool combine as much to create monuments and masterpieces as to shape a man

Of men and crafts

The compagnons du Tour de France are first of all craftsmen. A craft is a physical activity engaged in the elaboration of solid materials. Therefore it excludes intellectual and service activities such as architect, accountant, merchant, engineer, physician, etc. A craft covers a thorough process of transformation of matter, not just a specialised fraction of it. The crafts exercised by the compagnons can be classified according to the materials they work with : wood, stone, metals, leather and fabrics, food.

Vocational improvement

One of the aims of the Compagnonnage is to ensure the coaching of young workers after they finish their apprenticeship. Dedication, new techniques, handskills, gathering and broadening basic knowledge to other fields are encouraged. Always strive to do better is the default attitude of the compagnons.

The masterpiece

The title of ‘compagnon’ is an acknowledgement of one’s merits by one’s peers. One of the requisites is to be in full possession of the skills of one’s craft. The candidate must prove it by producing a masterpiece, also called a reception piece.

Our collections

Wood, stone, metal, leather and textiles, food products

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