Musée-librairie du compagnonnage

The Musée–Librairie du Compagnonnage in Paris's 6th arrondissement is a small specialist museum dedicated to French compagnonnage — the centuries-old brotherhood of itinerant craftsmen recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in 2010. Apprentices on the traditional Tour de France spent years traveling from city to city, acquiring skills from master craftsmen and earning entry to secretive guild brotherhoods through initiation rites that remain practiced today. The collection includes intricate masterwork models — delicate spiral staircases built at miniature scale, precision tools, and guild regalia from brotherhoods of carpenters, joiners, and stonemasons. A specialist bookshop adjoins the museum, stocking titles on craft history and guild traditions. Entry is free; open weekday afternoons.