How does one become a master craftsman? To become a craftsmen, first choose a manual trade. Not all trades offer training as journeymen; only the trades represented in three official guilds which exist today. After choosing a trade, you have to pass the CAP or the BEP. This you can do in a regular CFA (Apprentice Training Center) or through a guild. If you did not obtain your CAP or BEP through a guild, you must then contact one of the guilds and be accepted there. Once you are approved, you will have the opportunity to hone your skills under the tutelage of the Masters, and through the traditional Tour of France. This training takes from 5 to 7 years, during which you will be able to earn one of the professional diplomas of your trade (BP, BM, Bac pro, BTS). Every year "open house days" are organized by the guild Masters. It is an excellent opportunity to meet them and to ask questions. Further Reading : Il était une fois les cathédrales, Les plus belles légendes autour de leur construction (Once Upon a Time, Cathedrals — the Most Beautiful Legends About Their Construction) By François Icher and Maurice Pommier Editions de la Martinière jeunesse 2001 From the early era of the cathedrals, men described the construction of these extraordinary buildings. In their accounts, they faced angels and demons, honest craftsmen and jealous architects, uninterested builders and greedy workmen. In five accounts, you’ll learn why knots of wood are called “the nails of Saint Peter.“ You’ll discover the supposed role of angels in the construction of Notre-Dame in Paris. You’ll know why the master carpenters and roofers are called the “storks of Alsace...".”…