Paris/Italy WW sites.

TWG | Posted in General Discussion on March 27, 2007 12:22pm

I will be in Paris then the Siena area for work, and some recreation, in May and I was looking for some good wood working spots to visit and shop (hand tools).

Are there any good hand tool makers, ww museums, etc. in either location?

Thanks, TWG.

Replies

eweber2 | Mar 27, 2007 01:30am | #1
If you go to Paris, try to see if you can visit the school named Boulle http://www.ecole-boulle.org/accueil.htm

http://www.ecole-boulle.org/metiers/ma/ebenisterie.htm

They have a famous woodworking class (only 20 lucky students selected every year) that have been going on for several centuries. They have some amazing collection of old tools in there as well as an amazing workbench (see workbench book). They also have all kind of master pieces done by student or teacher there and I mean master pieces.

I don't know if they allow visits, I was lucky enough to visit the place through my cousin which was a student there. But if you can that is definitively worth a shot.

Edited 3/26/2007 7:01 pm ET by eweber2
rwdare | Mar 27, 2007 04:17am | #2
If you're interested in veneers. just outside of Paris in the town of Bagnolet is the firm of J. Georges et Fils. They produce sawn veneer on a 100 year old machine where the flitch rises out of a pit as it is sawn. While not inexpensive, they have beautiful woods (including Brazilian Rosewood). Sawn veneer is a dlight to work with in that both sides are useable - no knife checks. I would also second the trip to the Ecolle Boulle.

Dick