About this tour
Spend three hours at La Balaiterie learning the craft of traditional straw fly swatter making in rural France. Work alongside the workshop's founders—a couple who revived sorghum straw broom-making after opening in 2020—to construct your own functional piece. Choose from vibrant straw colours and thread palettes, then personalise handles and bindings. You'll leave with a handmade swatter that works as well as it decorates, plus knowledge of a dying trade kept alive by small family operations.
Highlights
- Tour the working workshop and watch broom-making techniques firsthand
- Bind and colour your own straw swatter from scratch
- Select from rich straw hues and thread combinations
- Carve and customise wooden handles
- Take home a fully functional, decorative piece
- Support a family business preserving French artisan traditions
- Complimentary coffee or tea throughout
What to expect
You'll start with a walkthrough of the workshop floor, seeing how the owners craft their signature sorghum straw brooms and brushes. Then you'll move to your own crafting bench, where aprons and tools are provided. The instructors guide you through selecting straw colours and thread, then show you how to bind and shape everything into a proper fly swatter. It's hands-on but unhurried—expect to spend a good hour or more on your piece, refining it until you're happy. There's no pressure to rush; the workshop caters to all ages and abilities.
Good to know
The space is fully wheelchair accessible with accessible surfaces throughout. Service animals are welcome. Wear clothes you don't mind getting slightly dusty or marked; straw fibres can cling. No prior crafting experience needed—the team walks you through each step.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.