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I love workshops so much that when I travel, if I am in a region of the world where a craft interests me, I try to visit workshops.
In 30 years of traveling, including a full year in Asia, I have developed a bit of expertise on the subject that I wanted to share with you.
How do I do it?
Actually, it’s super simple; you just have to ask nicely, with a smile, and you know what? People are delighted to show you their craft.
How to find workshops to visit that aren't tourist traps?
- if you feel you are in a place with genuine artisanal craftsmanship, search on the web. Workshops are quite often grouped by village or neighborhood.
- ask in shops if they know where you can find the workshops you are looking for
- ask your hotel or the person renting you the apartment
- in some countries, there are guidebooks that are a gold mine, such as the Love Travel Guides in India
- at markets, ask the artisans who come to sell their products if you can visit their workshop
- ask taxi or tuk-tuk drivers for advice; they know the city like the back of their hand. Ask them, if they seem reliable to you
- if you have a tour guide, a driver, or if you run into a guide at your hotel or a tourist site, ask them if they can help you.
- and above all, steer clear of "tourist workshops," which are generally uninteresting tourist factories. To avoid this, once you have a lead, check it on the internet. If it’s a tourist trap, there is a good chance it will have a website.
Come on, let me take you to a workshop in India
During our one-year trip in Asia, shortly before arriving in Jaipur, I asked our driver if he knew of a fabric printing workshop. Good news, I had made a video, isn't that cool? It was quite incredible to see how thousands of meters of fabric were printed by hand with a small wooden stamp.
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Would you like to see the Louise Carmen workshop?
You would be surprised to see that even in 2018, everything is done by hand.
In the video, you will discover:
- one of our leather suppliers in Paris
- a public transport interlude in Paris 🙂
- a visit to the Louise Carmen manufacturing workshop, the explanation of the manufacturing stages
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To finish, I have a question!
It would help me a lot to know if you enjoyed the video and if you are interested in seeing vlogs about Louise Carmen? Let me know in the comments!
See you very soon,
Nathalie