De Gaulle Fleurance advises the Communauté de Communes des Savoir-Faire on the legal and economic structuring of the wicker and basketry sector

Deals 20 March 2026

De Gaulle Fleurance is supporting the Communauté de Communes des Savoir-Faire(CCSF) in designing and implementing a legal and economic framework aimed at modernizing and ensuring the long-term viability of the wicker and basketry sector, an art form involving the weaving of plant fibers into functional and decorative objects.

Once a major producer of basketry in Europe, France now has only around 100 hectares of cultivated wicker, located mainly in Touraine (approximately 20 ha) and Haute-Marne (approximately 24 ha).

Reviving this sector addresses several key contemporary challenges: the development of natural and sustainable materials, a renewed interest in arts and crafts and artisanal production, as well as the desire to repatriate strategic know-how.

However, current wicker production remains insufficient to meet the needs of basket makers. The sector remains fragile, characterized by a limited number of producers, underdeveloped commercial infrastructure, insufficient visibility, and economic opportunities that need to be consolidated.

The « Communauté de Communes des Savoir-Faire » benefits from a unique heritage in basketry and wickerwork. It is home to nearly one-sixth of France’s professional basket makers and is supported by a well-structured ecosystem:

the Committee for the Development and Promotion of Basketry (CDPV), recognized as a Center of Excellence for the Arts and Crafts by the Grand Est region,
its subsidiary “Label Vannerie”, dedicated to producing wicker goods for large-scale orders, in collaboration with a network of artisans spread throughout the region,
the National School of Wicker and Basketry (ENOV), France’s only training center dedicated to these crafts, an educational farm, and a regional development center,
the Haute-Marne Local Public Institution for Agricultural Education and Vocational Training,
as well as a museum dedicated to basketry.

The project to restructure and modernize the sector is being carried out jointly by the CCSF, the CDPV, and the EPLEFPA (Haute-Marne Local Public Agricultural and Vocational Training Institution), in collaboration with the Chamber of Agriculture and local stakeholders.

Its total cost is estimated at €1.13 million.

Frédéric Destal, partner; Magalie Dejoux, senior manager; and Lily Marie Turchi, associate at De Gaulle Fleurance, are supporting the project at every stage of its development:

Strategic assessment: analysis of the sector at local, regional, and national levels; market research; and identification of strengths and growth drivers;
Design of the legal and economic model: comparative analysis of possible legal structures (mixed-economy company, local public institution, cooperative of collective interest, association, commercial company, etc.), analysis of their impacts in terms of governance, taxation, and financing, and development of structural scenarios;
Operational implementation: definition of governance, developing an action plan, and providing support for the creation and launch of the selected structure.

De Gaulle Fleurance works alongside two partners: Calia Conseil, which handles the financial aspects, and Agrosolutions, which handles the technical aspects.

“This project illustrates how legal engineering can contribute to the revitalization and sustainable structuring of a sector of excellence. By securing its business model and governance, we are helping to preserve ancestral know-how, strengthen the region’s agricultural foundations, and create the conditions for sustainable and attractive growth,” emphasizes Frédéric Destal.