Journées Nationales de la Laine
The essential wool event in France at Felletin
2026
About Journées de la Laine
Journées de la Laine — edition 2026
For its 26th edition, the International Wool Days bring together over 160 French and European exhibitors at the Felletin sports complex from October 23 to 25, 2026. The creators' fair, which is entirely free, offers a comprehensive overview of the wool industry, from sheep to finished product, complemented by exhibitions, a traditional dance ball, and the "Knitting the Town" project, which adorns the city streets with wool creations.
For its 2026 edition—the 26th—the largest French fair dedicated to wool will be held in Felletin on Friday, October 23, Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25, at the sports complex (Avenue de la Gare). Over 160 French and European exhibitors—breeders, shearers, spinners, mattress makers, weavers, felters, dyers, and knitwear designers—will present a complete panorama of the wool industry, from sheep to finished product. Admission is free; craft demonstrations, a children's workshop, a knitting area, and creative workshops will enliven the fair during opening hours.
In parallel, visitors can take guided tours of the Ateliers Pinton and the Filature Terrade (Thursday, October 22 and Friday, October 23, by registration), attend Lainamac discovery workshops at the multi-purpose hall and Ateliers Chateaufavier (weaving, spinning, dyeing, felting, etc.), and visit several local businesses (Ateliers Pinton, Filature Fonty in Rougnat, Galerie Jabert, and Teinture Aubusson Lab. in Aubusson). Three exhibitions round out the weekend: "Women in Tapestry" at the Notre-Dame du Château Church, "Research and Exploration of Wool and Natural Fibers" by Résolaine, and "La Main Nue Workshops and the New Fougerol Workshops," a branch of the 2026 Clermont-Ferrand Textile Biennale, in Aubusson.
On Saturday, October 24, starting at 6:00 PM, the Trad' Fuse association will host a traditional dance ball with a potluck buffet. Since 2013, the "Knitting the Town" project has been dressing the streets, gardens, and urban furniture of Felletin with wool creations made year-round by volunteers from the Felletin Patrimoine Environnement association.
Highlights Journées de la Laine 2026
- The largest wool fair in France — 26th edition
- Over 160 French and European exhibitors
- Free admission to the creators' fair
- Guided tours, discovery workshops, and open houses at local businesses
- Three textile exhibitions in Felletin and Aubusson
- Traditional dance ball on Saturday night and "Knitting the Town" project throughout the city
Programme Journées de la Laine 2026
Creators' Fair
Over 160 French and European exhibitors (breeders, shearers, spinners, mattress makers, weavers, felters, dyers, knitwear designers, etc.). Free admission. Sports complex, Avenue de la Gare.
- Friday, October 23 — 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
- Saturday, October 24 — 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
- Sunday, October 25 — 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Fair activities (Friday, Saturday, Sunday during opening hours): artisan craft demonstrations · children's Christmas-themed workshop (pay-what-you-wish) · knitting area with free introductory sessions · "Zigoto Fleuri" (€18) and "Fleur Simple" (€10) workshops hosted by La Nippe Caméléone (open to all ages 6 and up, no registration required).
Guided Tours
- Ateliers Pinton (low-warp tapestry manufacture) — Thursday, October 22 at 1:30 PM, Friday, October 23 at 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM · departure from Place Quinault · €6 adults / €3 ages 12-17, registration required
- Filature Terrade (wool yarn and dyeing production) — Thursday, October 22 at 3:30 PM, Friday, October 23 at 2:30 PM and 3:45 PM · departure from Filature Terrade, Rue de la Papeterie · same rates, registration required
Conferences and Round Tables
Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25 — detailed program at felletinpatrimoine.com/jnl.
Traditional Dance Ball
Saturday, October 24, from 6:00 PM — traditional dance workshop, potluck buffet, and open-stage traditional ball, organized by the Trad' Fuse association. Espace Tibord du Chalard, 17 Rue des Fossés. Free admission.
Knitting Café
Friday, October 23, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM — a friendly knitting gathering, Grand Café, Place Courtaud.
Sheep Section of the Producteurs de la Marche Cooperative
Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, during fair hours — presentation of various sheep breeds. Sports complex, Avenue de la Gare. Free.
Exhibitions
- "Women in Tapestry" — Notre-Dame du Château Church, 13 Rue du Château: Thursday, October 22, 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM; Friday, October 23, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM; Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Rates: full €5, reduced €4, free for under 18s, combined ticket with Cité de la Tapisserie €10.
- "Research and Exploration of Wool and Natural Fibers" (Résolaine) — Multi-purpose hall, Place Monthioux: Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM; guided walk Saturday, October 24, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM.
- "La Main Nue Workshops and the New Fougerol Workshops" (branch of the 2026 Clermont-Ferrand Textile Biennale) — 57-63 Rue Jules Sandeau, Aubusson: Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25, 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM.
- Knitting the Town — knitted decorations in the streets, gardens, and urban furniture of Felletin, created year-round by association volunteers.
Discovery Workshops (Lainamac)
At the Felletin multi-purpose hall, Ateliers Chateaufavier, or local workshops; program subject to change, register at formation.lainamac.fr/ateliers-decouverte.
- Thursday, October 22 — needle-felted candle · card-woven braid · creative frame weaving · felted wall pouch creation · studio photography · introduction to Jacquard weaving on TC2 loom · making and printing with plant-based inks on silk
- Friday, October 23 — circular knitting (beanie) · rigid heddle loom weaving · mosaic jacquard knitting · introduction to plant-based wool dyeing · Nuno Silk creation · "weaving light" · weaving finishes (Bedouin techniques)
- Saturday, October 24 — passementerie key tassel · felted flower creation · introduction to color theory for textile design · needle punch introduction · tufting introduction · wool carding and combing · spindle spinning · round quilted floor cushion · between embroidery and drawing · woven textile mapping · weaving finishes
- Sunday, October 25 — Aubusson tapestry on wooden frame · two-tone snood on knitting machine · wool sorting and washing · knitting pattern · in-depth research into natural dyes ("the blacks") · selvedge-free weaving · spinning wheel wool spinning · between embroidery and drawing · Nuno Silk creation · weaving finishes
Open Houses
- Ateliers Pinton (tapestry manufacture, 9 Rue Préville, Felletin) — Saturday, October 24, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM: tour of the weaving workshops (€3), special sales of wool, rugs, and tapestries Friday afternoon and all day Saturday.
- Filature Fonty (Filature de Rougnat, Le Moulin Neuf, 23700 Rougnat) — Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM: free guided tours (departures every 30 min, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM), special yarn sales.
- Galerie Jabert (4 Grande Rue, Aubusson) — Friday, October 23, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM; Saturday, October 24, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM: collection of antique and contemporary tapestries, free admission.
- Les Ateliers Chateaufavier (28 Rue Chateaufavier, Aubusson) — Thursday, October 22, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM: tour of the textile design training and experimentation center, register at formation.lainamac.fr/ateliers-decouverte.
- Teinture Aubusson Lab. — Nadia Petkovic (4 bis Rue Jean Jaurès, Aubusson) — Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24: tour of the dye house (45 min) at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 4:30 PM.
Full program published by the organizer in July 2026 (source: felletinpatrimoine.com/jnl, PDF "Programme JIL 2026").
Prices Journées de la Laine 2026
Practical information — Journées de la Laine
Practical Information
Location: Felletin Sports Centre (23500), access via Avenue de la Gare or Route de Vallière (D10).
Access by car: D982 from Aubusson (10 km), D941 from Guéret (60 km). Signposted parking nearby.
Admission: free entry to the exhibition. Refreshments and catering on site.
Usual opening hours: Friday 11:00-19:00, Saturday 10:00-19:00, Sunday 10:00-18:00.
Contact: Association Felletin Patrimoine Environnement, Place Quinault, 23500 Felletin. Tel. 05 55 66 54 60 - [email protected] - felletinpatrimoine.com/jnl
The largest wool fair in France
Since 2000, the Journées Nationales de la Laine — now the Journées Internationales de la Laine — have made Felletin the French capital of wool every end of October. Around 140 exhibitors from France and Europe, working exclusively with wool, offer a complete overview of the industry: from the sheep's fleece to the finished product, including spinning, weaving, knitting, and felting.
A program rich in know-how
The fair offers much more than just sales: visits to local businesses (spinning mills, tapestry workshops), conferences on wool techniques and history, demonstration workshops, children's workshops, and festive evenings. Since 2013, a yarn bombing operation (knitted street art) has covered Felletin with colorful creations, with urban furniture and trees decorated with wool by volunteers working all year round.
An event rooted in the textile heritage of Creuse
The event is part of the long textile tradition of Felletin and Aubusson, the cradle of UNESCO-listed tapestry. Organized by the association Felletin Patrimoine Environnement, it aims to revalue a little-known local resource: wool. With over 10,000 visitors each year, the Journées de la Laine has become a national and international reference event in the textile field.
Where does it take place — Journées de la Laine
Journées de la Laine in brief
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