AGDE
To mark the European Artistic Crafts Days, the Patrimoine & Savoir-faire festival returns from 7 to 12 April with a theme of ‘Wood and Music’, in partnership with the CAHM’s Artistic Crafts Department.
Tuesday 7 April to Sunday 12 April
To mark the European Artistic Crafts Days, the Heritage & Craftsmanship Festival returns from 7 to 12 April with a special edition themed ‘Wood and Music’, in partnership with the CAHM’s Artistic Crafts Department.
The temporary exhibition “Woodworking Trades”
Throughout the festival, discover the temporary exhibition “Woodworking Trades” amongst the curiosities on the first floor. Set amongst the laboratory, the materials library and the atrium’s vaulted ceiling, discover this temporary exhibition dedicated to woodworking crafts. Workpieces, creations and historical artefacts fill the spaces of Château Laurens, offering you an overview of these crafts and their exceptional achievements.
The Arts & Heritage guides at Château Laurens are on hand to assist you.
To explore the ground floor of the monument throughout the Heritage & Craftsmanship Festival, the ‘Festive Decor, the Ball of the Woodwork’ tour takes you to the heart of the state rooms, with a dedicated ticket.
The ‘Boléro, Ravel’ exhibition, located in the music room, can also be visited with a dedicated ticket.
Themed Tour “Festive Decor, the Ball of the Wood Panelling”
The ‘Festive Decor: The Ball of the Wood Panelling’ tour invites you to discover the décor of the monument’s iconic salons and to take a closer look at the ornate wood panelling and Art Nouveau furniture.
Accompanied by your guide, you will spend 40 minutes immersed in a theatrical setting featuring spellbinding perspectives and exotic influences.
Throughout the Patrimoine & Savoir-faire festival, your ticket also grants you access to the temporary exhibition “Les métiers du bois” (Woodworking Crafts) on the first floor of the monument.
The “Boléro, Ravel” exhibition and the music salon can be visited with a separate ticket.
Round table: “Wood, craft trades and heritage restoration”
Wednesday 8 April, from 10am to 1pm,
the round table “Wood, craft trades and heritage restoration” brings together researchers, craftspeople and restorers to discuss the role of wood in a historic monument: presentations, debates and discussions.
The guests:
Serge Ivorra, craftsman and wood restorer,
Joël Laplane, master luthier,
Bruno Bergamasco, wood turner,
Philippe Montels and Serge Thomas, craftsmen and creators of the Belle-Isle Lamp,
Bernadette Backès and Luc Lévy, heritage and furniture restorers,
Laurent Félix, scientific director of Château Laurens
The free, temporary exhibition ‘Les métiers du bois’ will allow you to continue the discussions every afternoon from 7 to 12 April, whilst discovering exceptional items on loan from the participants.
The author explores the artistic tastes of the Sun King, Louis XIV, through his ‘refined taste for scholarly beauty’ (Molière). Saint-Simon, narrating through his *Memoirs*, introduces us to Anne of Austria, Louis XIV as a teenager and then as an adult, Mazarin, Colbert, Le Nôtre, Lully and Voboam.
In this flamboyant chapter of French history, author and actor Joël LAPLANE presents, throughout the text, three guitar pieces, a song, a classical dance choreography and, to conclude, the King’s visit to the luthier’s workshop.
A demanding instigator, guitarist and dancer, driven by his passion for the arts and his curiosity for the sciences, Louis XIV fostered the creativity of his contemporaries and shaped the future of the arts and crafts.
Joël LAPLANE is a guitar maker in Pézenas, designated a Living Heritage Enterprise in 2007 and a Master of Art in 2008; his professional experience and artistic practices find expression in this astonishing theatrical fresco created in Versailles in 2024.
Before or after the performance, you can explore the monument and the temporary exhibition ‘Les métiers du bois’ (Woodworking Crafts) during the open days of the Patrimoine & Savoir-Faire festival.
Saturday 11 April and Sunday 12 April, 10am–5.30pm
To bring the festival to a close, Château Laurens opens its doors on Saturday 11 April and Sunday 12 April: a pop-up exhibition, musical performance and treasure hunt will invite you to discover wood in all its forms, with a programme for children
Saturday 11 April and Sunday 12 April, 10am–5.30pm
To bring the festival to a close, Château Laurens opens its doors on Saturday 11 April and Sunday 12 April: a pop-up exhibition, a musical performance and a treasure hunt will invite you to discover the woods in all their glory, with activities for young and old alike.
On the ground floor, take the time to wander at your own pace through the state rooms (excluding the music room and the ‘Boléro, Ravel’ exhibition), accompanied by the Arts & Heritage Mediators team.
On the first floor, the temporary exhibition “Woodworking Trades” offers an overview of the trades and exceptional creations, whilst the materials library will take you behind the scenes of the restoration of Château Laurens.
The Open Day will be punctuated by the show “Louis XIV, an artist in power”, presented by Joël Laplane, master luthier.
Throughout the Open Day, the special exhibition “Boléro, Ravel” is accessible free of charge upon booking (special ticket required).
#HISTORICALHERITAGE
#CULTURE
#EXHIBITION
Spoken languages : French
From Tuesday 7 to Sunday 12 April 2026.
