Valérie Durand

Valérie, a native of the Eure-et-Loir, moved to Alençon in the early 90s when her father changed jobs. From a very young age, she already had an affinity for the art of crochet, which she practised regularly alongside her secretarial studies. Even though she lives in the former City of the Dukes, Valérie had never heard of Alençon lace until the day she saw a television report about the difficulty the Atelier National du Point d’Alençon was having in recruiting new lacemakers. That’s when it all clicked! She rushed off to visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts et de la Dentelle and discovered the technique and beauty of this art form, for which she fell in love at first sight. In 2003, Valérie did her first 15-day internship at the Atelier to make sure she was making the right professional choice. No hesitation, she loved it… For a year, she learnt the basics of the trade and prepared for the title of “Master Craftswoman”. She had to wait until 2006 to take the competitive examination to join the Atelier full-time.

Strongly encouraged by her manager, she signed up for the “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” competition, which she prepared for a whole year outside her working hours. She made a superb lace bracelet and officially became one of France’s Best Craftsmen in 2019! (Her work is now on display in the museum). It’s the reward for years of hard work and an unbridled passion for this delicate art. But this year, 2019, is marked by another key event in Valérie’s career: following the retirement of the head of the Atelier, she has been appointed to replace her.

She admits that she never tires of her job, and that as time goes by, she always feels the same enthusiasm. All the more so because Valérie and the lacemakers at the Atelier have been able to develop and modernise the technique of Alençon lacepoint in line with the artistic trends of our time.