IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR CRAFTS...
Artists and craftsmen embellish nature with their talent.
Sculpted, cut stone, wood and iron,…
Shaped, varnished, molded, enameled pottery,…
Colored, cut glass…
The entire rainbow is portrayed and enhanced with fabric, paper, parchment, canvas...
A host of colors and shapes will delight you along the roads of Bresse.
One traditional activity still continues in Bresse Bourguignonne today : chair-making.
This activity, essentially located in Bantanges and Rancy, two small villages located between Louhans and Cuisery, dates back to the early 19th century.
Farming families probably began to make these chairs to supplement their income. The development of their craft was encouraged by local natural conditions; abundant wood, the presence of sedge grass (a wetland grass) on the banks of the Seille and local ponds, and the cultivation of rye that provided the straw.
By the end of the 19th century, some farmers had become small tradesmen employing 1 to 2 workers.
Today roughly a dozen small or industrial chair-making companies still exist in Rancy and Bantanges. Some women also still cover chairs at home.
These craftsmen are happy to welcome you to their workshops, to show you their high-quality products and the extent of their know-how.