The castle of Varaignes was built in the 14th century and underwent many changes until the 16th century. Left in a dilapidated state, it was restored in the 1960s, mainly by local residents, and is now listed as a "Bâtiment de France".
It is remarkable for its medieval keep and Italian Renaissance-inspired inner courtyard.
Today, the château at Varaignes is home to the workshop-museum of the Weavers and the Charentaise: the famous felt slipper. The ecomuseum tells the story of the Périgord-Limousin textile industry.
You'll pass through various rooms in the château named after former local factories, featuring weaving looms, a spinning mill and its laboratory, machines for cutting and sewing charentaises, rooms dedicated to knitting, carding and spinning, felting, hemp, the weaver's house and, finally, hand sewing.
Activities at the Atelier-Musée des Tisserands
Numerous events take place throughout the year, and the Château de Varaignes is home to
Temporary exhibitions
Art residencies for textile designers
Weavers' Market on Whitsun weekend
Introductory or advanced courses in textile arts
The CPIE's heritage discovery and textile arts awareness classes
The weavers' workshop-museum in operation
The "Charentaises d'Honneur" awards ceremony, with sew-and-turn and charentaise-throw tests, and the ceremony to sign the pantoufliers' diplomas.
Château de Varaignes Musée des Tisserands was last modified: June 9th, 2023 by m darsy
