Manufacture des Gobelins, Paris

In the Middle Ages,  Jean Gobelin founded a dyeing manufactory on the bank of the Bièvre river in 1443. At that time, the factory specialised in using cochineal to dye fabrics crimson, a technique which became Gobelins' brand style. In 1602, Henry IV rented some of the fabric houses for the Flemish craftspeople, Jean de la Planche and Marc de Comans, who were brought to Paris to set up the finest quality tapestry supplier for the French Court.

Sixty years later, Jean-Baptiste Colbert purchased the factory on behalf of Louis XIV, during whose reign the factory's success grew. Run by the Royal painter Charles Le Brun, the glory of the Gobelins factory spread throughout Europe, and it became highly prestigious to obtain Gobelins' tapestry or upholstery.

Today, the factory is owned by the state and occupies four buildings dating back to the times of Louis XIV, while the fifth one was rebuilt in 1912. Nearly every day, the factory opens its doors for guided tours. During this tour, you will be able to visit an exhibition of tapestry masterpieces, see Le Brun's workshops and 17th century looms, and learn traditional weaving techniques.