Tours has a museum devoted to compagnonnage (literally, companionship), which is a system for training and supporting craftsmen. Long before the bicycle was invented, these craftsmen-in-training did a Tour de France to develop their skills. (When I read this, a lightbulb suddenly lit up over my head – that’s why the step between apprentice and master is called journeyman!) The Musée de Compagnonnage is stuffed full of amazing examples of craftmanship. So stuffed, in fact, that it’s hard to take pictures of many of the items, but we did our best.
Perhaps not surprising for a country where women didn’t get to vote until the 1960s, women were only allowed to become compagnons in “most” of the trades in 2004. Better late than never… The historical info noted that this has revived some of the trades that were in danger of dying out, such as leatherworking. I’m sorry to say that my mental image of a leather worker is male, so that was a pleasant surprise.
Beyond Our French Adventure 