Villedieu-les-Poêles was founded by the Knights Hospitallers in the 12th century. It also hosted a brotherhood of coppersmiths since the end of the Middle Ages, some yards-workshops of which still remain in the maze of alleys. Renowned throughout Europe for their know-how in copper work, they were 39 at that time and welcomed apprentices from all over France. Today, a copper workshop perpetuates the traditions and shows the different stages of cooking, shaping, hammering and engraving copper kitchen objects.