Cottage-industries of Le Mans
The Sarthe has always been a department of traditions. It contained a number of centers where crafts were developed.
Thus, the towns of Bonnétable & Fresnay-sur-Sarthe have become specialised in the production of cloth, & Vallon-sur-Gée in leather. The forested sections of Mayet, Château du Loir & the Grand-Lucé have known a multitude of craft industries using wood (clog makers, cabinet makers...etc).
In the west of the department, Montmirail & its surroundings were recognised for their valuable productions, especially forged metals & glass.
The area of Mamers was known for its cloths, in the XVIII century.
The areas of Tuffé & of Bouloire had potters & also glass-makers.
La Flèche, La Ferté-Beranrd & Le Lude were popular towns for the wool industry.
Le Mans was particularly reputed for its manufacture of wool & textiles.
Further more, like all major towns, arts & crafts were important & varied. This met the needs of the population at the time, and was beneficial to the rich (clergy, aristocrats, middle-class merchants) who received the best quality goods.
In our time, the arts crafts are still popular in the city of Le Mans & the "départment" as a whole. The crafts here are quite different from some of the others.
Textile crafts (coloured silks & embroidery), as well as wood crafts (cabinet-makers & upholsterers)are still being practiced today.
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