PARISIAN WALKWAYS ❘ RUE DE LA VILLETTE


Today, one fears that’s no longer the case. Ettori is now one of only around 50 remaining archetiers in France. Practising his art with pride and encouraging other craftspeople to gather together and remain in the capital has become a matter of principle for him. “Paris has always been a city of artisans. It’s incredible the number of professions that existed here at the end of the 18th century. When we are Parisian and we are conscious of our history, the least we can do is help to give that identity back to Paris, which is its deepest identity. After all, Paris is not just a place for selling Chinese vases and €15 salads!”


WORLD OF CRAFTSPEOPLE Since Ettori opened up 20 years ago, a little world of craftspeople has slowly grown up around him, in some cases thanks directly to Ettori’s efforts of persuasion or help in securing a workshop. At No. 47, we find the atelier of Franck Lechner, piano tuner and restorer. Just up from Ettori, at No. 86, luthier Jérôme Lair restores and sells plucked string instruments of all kinds, from mandolins, lutes and Baroque guitars to electric guitars. A lover of 19th-century guitars in particular, he also builds exquisite copies of forgotten instruments, as well as bespoke contemporary guitars for a discerning clientele of musicians.


Moving south, one finds other workshops humming with activity. Some, like the atelier of the French brand Jack Gomme – designing leather bags and accessories in Paris since 1985 – are closed to the public except for occasional ventes privées. Others invite the public to step inside and roll up their sleeves, such as the École de Carton at No. 47, where students learn how to transform recycled cardboard into stylish chests, commodes and bookshelves. Visitors to No. 20 – home to the two gallery/workshops of the colourful, talented painters Kats and Danielle Choukroun – may well be inspired to pick up the brush themselves, and sign up for a class with Choukroun to learn the art of oil or watercolour painting. Likewise, at Atelier 44 (No. 44), carpenter and cabinet-maker Patrice Gaumeton restores and creates fine wood furnishings and decorative objects, and offers carpentry classes.


Patrice was encouraged to set up his atelier on rue


de Villette after he bumped into a former classmate from his arts and crafts school there – the artisan tapissier (upholsterer) Daniel Perret. Perret had gone back to school in 2006 after a career as an economic analyst that left him burned out. “My whole life I had done jobs that didn’t really interest me,” he recalls. “But I always admired people like dancers who lived their passion, making a living doing something they love.” And since opening his atelier at 48 rue de la Villette in 2008, Perret is doing just that: making a living indulging his passions for restoring and upholstering furniture and creating decorative drapes and pillows. “My work is as diverse as the population that frequents rue de la Villette, and I enjoy adapting to the needs and budgets of my clients,” he says.


54 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Apr/May 2020


IMAGES © JT IVERSON


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