Guided tours of the exhibition The Turpault company: a choletaise saga
Alexandre Turpault closed its doors in 2003. A real shock for the Choletais, who sees his last weaving workshop disappear. With more than 150 years of existence, the Turpault establishments have left a lasting mark, especially since the brand "Alexandre Turpault", synonymous with quality, is still present in the world of household linen.
Thus begins the temporary exhibition that the Textile Museum and the AAMTM1 devote to one of the most famous and oldest textile companies in Cholet.
The story is first of all human since it is carried without interruption, from 1847 to 2003, by the members of the same family. Strong personalities are emerging among the leaders, including that of Alexander, the founder, Republican convinced.
To evoke this company is also to tell a formidable industrial epic that materializes by the integration of the entire textile production chain and by the extent of the production sites. At its peak, between the two wars, Turpault employed more than 2,000 people in and around Cholet.
Finally, Alexandre Turpault’s production is essentially made up of high quality linen. On the occasion of this exhibition, individuals agreed to entrust the museum with exceptional pieces, woven on jacquard looms, or embroidered by hand, some being intended for prestigious establishments. An opportunity to discover the influence of cholet production.