France

In a former silk weaver’s workshop in Lyon, a carpenter and trained musician is breathing new life into the alphorn—an instrument that was on the brink of extinction in France.

Anne Loquineau left a traditional career path to follow her passion. Now she crafts sculptural (and surprisingly sturdy) porcelain bags that highlight her dual heritage and unique vision.

In Lyon, the silk-weaving capital of Europe for centuries, the rhythmic clatter of Jacquard Looms once emanated from about 30,000 workshops. Today, only three workshops still uphold this tradition.

In 2015, France became the first country in the world to pass a law aimed at banning planned obsolescence. In the years since, to give the law some teeth, France has continually added additional rules and penalties. All of this stemmed from the outsized smarts and persistence of a young activist named Laetitia Vasseur.

An American woodworker’s love affair with “the best” (and perhaps least-known) sculpture museum in Paris—and what the affair taught him.

Woodworker and author Gary Rogowski makes the case for the Musée des Arts et Métiers as Paris’ best museum, and offers a guide to its extensive holdings.

A CRAFTSMANSHIP photo essay.

Bulbous pots are ideal for cooking all sorts of meats, for turning tough cuts buttery soft. The French daubière, instantly recognizable by its tall, potbellied shape and distinctive lid, is designed so that the ingredients can be packed inside with only a small amount of liquid and then set over low heat to braise. The…