The masterly hand

“Glory be to Work and Scorn upon Idleness – Work and Honour, this is our wealth”. So read the maxim inscribed on Companion House Carpenters’ diplomas in the 19th century. The words still hold true today, for the Companions are well aware that the practice of their trade, knowledge, effort, work, the hand and the tool serve both to create monuments and masterpieces and to build men.

Men and trades

The Compagnons du Tour de France are first and foremost tradesmen. The trade in question is almost always understood as a “manual activity” related to transforming materials. This therefore excludes such professions as architecture, accounting, selling, engineering and medicine for example. The activity must also entail a complete process of transformation and not simply a specialised segment of an activity. Currently, Guild trades may be divided into the following categories: wood, stone, metallurgy, leather and textiles, foodstuffs.

Professional improvement

One of the goals of the guilds has always been to ensure that young workers have access to professional advancement at the end of their apprenticeships. Regular work habits, the acquisition of new techniques and enhanced skills, and the application of basic knowledge to other disciplines are all encouraged. A guild member is always pushed to do better.

The masterpiece

To become a Compagnon one has to earn the title along with the recognition of one's peers. This presupposes demonstrable competence within a particular trade. A candidate must therefore prove himself by creating a "masterpiece", an example of his best work.

Our collections

Wood, stone, metal, leather and textiles, food, tools of the trades

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