Felletin and Aubusson: the delicate art of tapestry through thread and needle

Felletin dialogues with Aubusson, two citadels where the refinement of thread becomes artistic quintessence. On the borders of the venerable workshops and bold manufacturers, the needle orchestrates memory, transforming wool into true living frescoes. The rivalry between these cities has elevated tapestry to an international icon. Passionate weavers create a centuries-old heritage, competing in ingenuity under the diffuse light of sloping roofs. Their hands shape each pattern, perpetuating a vibrant tradition in this secret Creusois where the granite stones whisper the prolific history of crafts. A tapestry signed by Felletin or Aubusson captures the eyes of the world, revealing the excellence of the material and the selflessness of the learned artisans.

Spotlight
  • Felletin and Aubusson compete for the title of the capital of tapestry in France.
  • The International City of Tapestry in Aubusson shines with its creations and living heritage.
  • Felletin charms with its alternative atmosphere, its living workshops, and its endearing rural character.
  • The artisans worked in houses with sloping roofs, illuminated by specific openings for light.
  • The Robert Four Manufacture embodies the traditional know-how of the weaver on a loom.
  • Felletin is animated by its market, its producers, and an active cultural life throughout the year.
  • The Terrade spinning mill, active for over a century, supplies threads and wools to major French luxury houses.
  • The former diamond factory “La Felletinoise” has become an interactive museum recounting an astonishing workers’ history.
  • Both cities share exceptional talent in thread work, blending tradition and creative innovation.

An artistic duel: Aubusson and Felletin, rival sisters of tapestry

Only ten kilometers separate Aubusson and Felletin, two cities with roots intimately intertwined by the centuries-old history of tapestry. In the narrow streets of southern Creuse, each cobblestone seems to vibrate with the precise gestures of weavers and dyers. Aubusson shines on the world stage, recognized as the epicenter of this art elevated to the status of intangible heritage. Felletin, the fiery gateway of the Millevaches plateau, cultivates its artisan audacity and an alternative dimension, claimed in its lively markets and under the arcades of Grande Rue.

Aubusson: splendor, inventions, and heritage

The heart of Aubusson beats under the bright nave of its International City of Tapestry. Cartoonists sketch monumental projects there, such as the one dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the death of George Sand, which promises to be a feat unveiled in 2026. The former factories, set along the banks of the Creuse river, sing the perseverance of generations of female workers and artisans. The sloping roofs, punctuated by dormers to capture the perfect light, house the alchemy of weaving, while the Clock Tower reveals a dense tableau of hanging gardens and intertwined chimneys.

Felletin: uniqueness, liveliness, and friendliness

Felletin proudly and militantly displays its rurality, animated by uninhibited creativity. On Friday mornings, its hall buzzes with discussions among producers, artisans, and whimsical musicians. By the granite banks, the Quinault fountain guards the entrance to the center, itself punctuated by noble turrets that evoke the city’s once-industrial power. The tapestry extends even onto the vaults of Sainte-Valérie church, decorated with gouache by the skilled hands of past workers; the sylvan motifs are inspired by 17th-century greenery patterns and the thick forests that enclose Felletin.

Through the wool: spinning mills, dyehouses, and know-how

Felletin would not be this ardent hub without its venerable spinning mills. The Terrade family reigns over its century-old machines, where wool winds into threads of all shades and lengths. This ballet of roaring gears shapes the threads destined for carpets, rugs, or high-end haberdashery accessories, sometimes targeting national furniture and international haute couture houses. Manon, one of the latest arrivals, embodies this creative revival; tattooed, an artist, she immerses herself in the convivial tumult of the Dyehouse, surrounded by infinite colors and textures.

Felletin the renaissance: diamond, third places, and cultural bubbling

Near the Roby bridge, the train station area has transformed into a crossroads of initiatives, hosting a cafeteria, a games library, and even a bold coworking space. Around these walls, workshops are blossoming, perpetuating the local cooperative spirit. The former diamond factory, named “La Felletinoise”, now welcomes visitors and curious minds. Between 1906 and 1982, thousands of diamonds were cut with remarkable precision, equal to that of seasoned upholsterers. The interactive museum revives the memory of an industrial saga where skill and patience united to shape the eternal, transitioning from jewelry to industry.

Walks and hidden treasures: between history and modernity

Aubusson and Felletin invite singular strolls, where greenery intertwines with rough stone and evolving tapestry. This back-and-forth between tradition and avant-garde recalls the richness of heritage sites in other regions, such as the enchanting Creole houses, the medieval treasure of Bayeux, or the must-see sites around Reims and around Angers. The threads of gold, wool, or even diamonds weave the legend of these vibrant territories a little more each day, where the intimacy of gesture combines with the power of transmitting an exceptional art. The memory of workers, the innovation of workshops, and the thriving festivals confer an unmatched and intoxicating vitality to Felletin and Aubusson, worthy of great artisan capitals or even the thrilling narrative of the powerful of this world.

Aventurier Globetrotteur
Aventurier Globetrotteur
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