Craft made Festival

A craftsman’s feast created by a cabinetmaker

Marie-Hélène Poisson is part of a family of cabinetmakers.

She grew up, like her father, in the family cabinetmaking workshop created by her grandfather.

From an early age, she contemplated the wonders of the Great Century, glues, scales and burins.

As a child, at the age when little girls usually play with dolls, Marie-Hélène already has fun making wooden wheelbarrows.

At the age of fifteen, she made a marquetry box of her composition to present her application to the Boulle school.

Following in the footsteps of her father who specialized in Boulle marquetry and works for museums and antique dealers, Marie-Hélène endeavours to perpetuate a centuries-old know-how, witness of the Great Century of Louis XIV. Today it is his daughter who is preparing to take over, thus being the 4th generation!

Installed for 4 years in the Castle of Fretay (Loir-et-Cher), she wanted to create in 2020 an event dedicated to the know-how of excellence in French.

2026 Programme

• 41 craftspeople giving demonstrations
• Guests of honour: Les Compagnons du Devoirs
• The second-hand dealers’ area in the vegetable garden
• A tour of the extraordinary vegetable garden
• Talks
• Tea room
• Games for children
• Prize draw, processions in Napoleonic costume and entertainment
• A candlelit dinner and concert on Saturday evening – booking required ([email protected]).
• Lunch served on Saturday and Sunday
• And many more surprises…