The Village Blacksmith: From Horses to Art

The forge in Saint-Martin-de-Ré has operated continuously since 1847, though its work has transformed completely. Where once Jean-Baptiste Moreau's great-grandfather shoed horses and repaired plows, today's blacksmith creates architectural ironwork, restoration pieces, and artistic sculptures.

"The last horse I shoed was in 1992," Jean-Baptiste recalls, pumping the bellows to heat a piece of iron to cherry red. "I thought I'd have to close, but then restoration projects began. Churches needed historically accurate hinges, châteaux required period-appropriate railings. Now I can't keep up with demand."

The craft requires physical strength, artistic vision, and deep material knowledge. "Iron has moods," Jean-Baptiste explains, drawing glowing metal from the forge. "Too hot and it burns, losing strength. Too cool and it cracks under the hammer. You read the color, feel the resistance, adjust constantly." His workshop contains tools inherited from his great-grandfather alongside modern equipment - ancient anvils and contemporary welding gear coexisting productively.

Apprenticeship remains the primary learning method. Jean-Baptiste's current apprentice, Thomas, came through a peculiar route - engineering degree, corporate career, midlife crisis, discovery of blacksmithing through a weekend workshop. "I earned more in tech," Thomas admits, "but this satisfies something deeper. Creating with my hands, maintaining tradition, producing objects that will outlast me."