-
I fell in love with wild, beautiful Cévennes in south-central France
Award-winning US poet Zaro Weil on why this remote part of France is a major inspiration for her work
-
Career change in France: From actress to estate agent
Jacqueline Reddin-Williams describes her journey to become a 'property matchmaker'
-
I have enjoyed every one of my five French chateaux renovations
Geoffrey Kenyon-May, 82, moved to France in 1975 and has since enjoyed a rollercoaster life renovating five chateaux and one watermill
Community workshops make DIY accessible in France
A growing number of community workshops have sprung up in France offering DIY enthusiasts access to space, equipment and skills to develop their projects
Recent years have seen a growing interest in DIY skills, and many workshops have sprung up allowing people to share their know-how.
The workshops, which are often run by associations, are particularly useful for apartment-dwellers who do not have the space for DIY projects at home.
Read more: Leroy Merlin voted France’s favourite DIY shop: do you agree?
L’Atelier des Bricoleurs, for example, is a Toulouse-based cooperative with professional tools available for use that offers classes and workshops for anyone wanting to learn new skills, such as painting, metalwork and joinery.
Similarly, Gueules de Bois in Nantes provides workspaces and woodworking machines, with the goal of allowing people to share their knowledge and help one another.
They also offer the opportunity to take classes or join community volunteering projects.
Other ateliers partagés (community workshops) include BricoLab (Ardèche), Les Copeaux d’Abord (Grenoble) and La Menuiserie Collaborative (Montpellier).
On a smaller scale, there are hundreds of ‘repair cafes’ all across France, where you can bring household objects – from small pieces of furniture to electrical appliances – and have access to tools and advice to repair them yourself.
Here the impetus is environmental, with the objective being to prevent objects ending up in landfills.
Related articles
French handyman offers home renovations to people in need
French renovation rule over children having to OK work is insulting
Explained: How to apply for a renovation grant for your French home