The city of Villedieu-les-Poêles is full of nooks and crannies in which few people venture. The place is renowned for its many copper craftsmen. A tradition so deeply rooted that its inhabitants sometimes respond to the gentleman of Deaf, because the repetitive hammering of this material affected their hearing.
The tour of the town in 1h30
A historical route of approximately 1h30 starting from the tourist office takes visitors on a discovery of the city. A free booklet, available in five languages, allows you to learn more about the different points of interest encountered on the way. This information can also be consulted on the Cirkwi application. On the ground, your steps are guided by bronze markings bearing the effigy of the cross of the Order of Malta. You will successively discover the old wheat halls, the stone bridge which was one of the three entrances to the city or the rue Gambetta adorned with bourgeois houses built in the 18th century.e and XIXe centuries.
Read also: Tourism in Villedieu-les-Poêles: the managers of the Les Chevaliers de Malte campsite are optimistic
The route then takes you to the Hospital Commandery and its park, before arriving at the Cornille Havard foundry. Built in 1865, this workshop is the heir to a long tradition of bell founders established in Villedieu-les-Poêles since the Middle Ages. Bells for the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral were made there in 2013. Once you reach where the canal joins the Siena, take the stairs to savor the atmosphere of the quays. You will discover another curiosity there: the remains of the five washhouses, watch your head as you pass under the footbridge.
Craftsmanship in the heart of the streets
The charming alleys of the city are also a mecca for crafts. In the district dedicated to crafts, craftsmen open their workshops to visitors. They and they reveal their laces, hats, ceramics and jewelry. As for the gestures and techniques of working with copper, they are at the heart of the visit to the copper workshop (54, rue Général Huard. www. atelierducuivre.fr ). In the Tourist Office, a space of 90 m2 hosts a free exhibition dedicated to these professions and entitled “Childhood Memories”. It introduces local and western craftsmen and their creations. All exhibits are offered for sale.
Villedieu-les-Poêles Tourist Office: Phone. 02 33 61 05 69 and http://ot-villedieu.fr
–
