Reviving the Art of Straw Marquetry Through Creative Craft Experiences
The creative tourism dynamic in Jonzac owes much to passionate artisans who showcase rare and precious know‑how — and Séverine Fauvel is an inspiring figure among them. Through Mon Tendre Atelier, she brings straw marquetry back to life, an ancestral art now preserved, which she transmits with remarkable sensitivity, patience, and creativity.
Located at the heart of La Corderie — an emblematic venue where artisans open their workshops to visitors — Séverine has created a warm, colourful, and welcoming space, ideal for discovery, exchange, and wonder.
Her deeply human approach aligns perfectly with the spirit of creative tourism: offering an experience, revealing a craft, and creating a meaningful connection between artisan and visitor.
Her work is part of a committed territorial strategy, as the Charentes Region are now a certified CreativeFriendlyDestination, internationally recognised for the richness of their talents, the diversity of their cultural practices, and their ability to offer authentic, participatory experiences.
We met Séverine Fauvel in her workshop — a warm, convivial, and colourful place — where she shared her vision, her commitment, and the passion that animates every gesture of her craft.
How does your work connect with the principles of creative tourism?
Jonzac welcomes visitors all year round: spa guests, tourists from many countries, and local residents attracted by the activities offered, especially the artisan workshops at La Corderie.
This environment is ideal for sharing our crafts. Straw marquetry is an ancestral know‑how that is now preserved, and my goal is to make it known and to pass it on to anyone who wishes to learn — and who often falls in love with straw.
My journey is closely linked to creation: after completing a cabinetmaking diploma, restoring antique furniture became a revelation. Marquetry naturally emerged, especially when restoring Napoléon III pieces. Then, in 2017, I discovered rye straw — a noble, luminous, naturally dyed material that transformed my practice and opened an infinite field of possibilities. Creative tourism allows me to share this story and this universe.
What does your creative tourism offer consist of?
I offer three‑hour straw marquetry workshops, open to beginners as well as more experienced participants, from the age of 12.
The workshop is structured: introduction to the characteristics of straw, discovery of the tools, choice of motif, preparation of the straw, cutting, gluing… Participants learn traditional gestures using high‑quality natural materials — including rye straw harvested and hand‑dyed in Burgundy.
All materials are provided, and everyone leaves with their own creation. It is a moment of transmission, focus, pleasure, and often a true revelation.
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What opportunities has creative tourism opened for your practice?
Creative tourism allows me to introduce a rare craft that intrigues and fascinates. Many visitors have never heard of straw marquetry, and even fewer have seen the natural beauty of this material.
Workshops are an opportunity to raise awareness, to transmit, and to highlight intangible heritage.
They create a direct link between the artisan and the visitor, and allow my activity to shine beyond the region.
It is also a way to show that artistic craftsmanship is alive, accessible, and can be a full‑fledged tourism experience.
Workshops are an opportunity to raise awareness, to transmit, and to highlight intangible heritage. They create a direct link between the artisan and the visitor, and allow my activity to shine beyond the region.
In your view, what does creative tourism bring to the territory?
Visitors return to Jonzac because they know they will find activities that keep them engaged, inspired, and passionate throughout their stay.
Artisan workshops, encounters, and participatory experiences create natural loyalty: people come back to continue a project, discover a new technique, or simply reconnect with the unique atmosphere of La Corderie.
Creative tourism strengthens the attractiveness of the territory by showcasing its talents, its know‑how, and its cultural identity
In one word, how would you define the cultural DNA of the Charentes?
“Diversity.”
More about
Charentes, CreativeFriendlyDestination
