les Gobelins

By Micala Sidore

The French National Tapestry Studios in Paris, la Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins, are sometimes willing to take on outsiders (i.e., non-French citizens who are not interested in full-time employment) as interns (stagiaires). In order to apply for such an internship (stage), write a letter requesting it to:

Monsieur Jean Pierre SAMOYEAULT, Administrateur General du MOBILIER NATIONAL 1, rue Berbier du Mets

75013 Paris, France

Any such letter needs to be in French. Ask for help from a native French speaker and, if possible, from a translation center. (Your local university may have one.) Such a translator can help to convert an American curriculum vitae into a form familiar to someone in France. Include slides of your work with the letter and consider sending color xeroxes as well (easier to look at than slides). Also, send a copy of everything in the Samoyeault packet to the current chef of the studios [Haute Lisse] which is where the internships take place:

Madame Arlette Bernatest, CHEF DE LA HAUTE LISSE, MANUFACTURE NATIONALE DES GOBELINS 42, Av des Gobelins 75013 Paris, France.

The cost of these internships is 914.70 EUROS, or $925 US, per trimester. Three months is the minimum stay, from 9 to 5, more or less, every day of the week. Foreigners need to be able to talk about what you wish to learn, to provide information about what you know, what you have done. You will need to find a place to live and need to speak French.

The current teacher is Sophie Dumont, who has worked at the studios for more than 20 years. She is a very, very able weaver, has taught tapestry in the privbate sector and she has put together her own instruction manual.