Amélie Farfouille in the boxes. This thirty -something has already in its bag, several pairs of special scissors and a hammer. In recent years, she has not missed the traditional fair at the old tool which is held in Bièvres (Essonne) this Thursday, May 1 (until 5 p.m.). “I love it,” she says. I find finds all the time. I got into DIY via tutorials, and doing it with tools purchased as a flea market is even tastier. »»
While brands like Leroy Merlin or Castorama recorded in 2025 a decline in their “unprecedented” sales, the old -fashioned tools in Bièvres does not know the crisis. And this year’s publishing could break in triburate records: this Thursday morning, at 9 am, the public was numerous to wandering between the stands.
“This is the first time I have come,” says Christian, a young retired. I like popular art and old tools. I have already bought two hooks to work on the land. I fell in love with a collector but I will also use it. These are tools in general very resistant, made with noble materials – often forged steel. This has nothing to do with DIY brands, which manufacture in an industrial way. Here, at the Bièvres Fair, there are tools with a story. And not necessarily more expensive. »»
The visitors’ profile is very heterogeneous. Retirees of course, but also many young thirties, or even less. Like Thibaut, a 23 -year -old Alsatian. “I am a carpenter, and the old tools are interesting,” he says. Not necessarily to use them, especially out of love of the profession. I still bought an ax, it helps out to split wood and I found one here at a very attractive price and which seems to me to be of excellent quality. There are fewer and fewer fairs dedicated to old tools, we have to fall back on flea markets but it is very generalist. »»
Having become almost unique in France, it is the fruit of the work of volunteers of the Association of Friends of the tool (LADO) of Bièvres. “We always have the reputation of promoting old tools,” says Hubert Vigneron, former president of the association and still very active volunteer. Now we are also keen to support the rising generation of the Taillandiers (Editor’s note : blacksmiths that make tools) and carpenters. There are many young people who embark on their trades, some have made the axes for the site of Notre-Dame de Paris. And we also see the public of the fair rejuvenate. There is a revival of manual work. »»
Baptiste Mathieu, a Taillandier blacksmith in Haute-Saône aged 28, finds it: “Basically, I do art ironwork. I also started to improve my technique. The axes that I make are quite versatile and interest both professionals and individuals who like to tinker. This craft market, of tools made by Taillandiers is on the rise. People prefer to pay things a little more expensive but that will last twice as long as industrial tools. »»
