Profile

Born in 1965, Éric Leblanc discovered the plastering trade at the age of 14 in Nantes. At 17, he joined the Compagnons du Devoir and embarked on a ten-year Tour de France. This journey took him to France, but also to Germany and Italy, notably Venice and Florence, where he trained in modeling and stamping with masters of the Venetian school. These techniques lastingly enriched his approach to the craft.
In 1997, he founded his own workshop, Les Métiers du Plâtre, in Brain-sur-l'Authion, Anjou. In 2007, his company was awarded the Living Heritage Company label, a national recognition that recognizes his expertise in the transmission and preservation of traditional craft techniques.
He pursues a dual activity: the restoration of historic monuments and contemporary design. He has participated in major projects, such as the reconstruction of the Baroque altarpiece in the chapel of the Château du Plessis-Blutière, which earned him the Grand Prix départemental de la restauration du patrimoine in 2007. At the same time, he explores bolder forms, blending tradition and innovation, as evidenced by the creation in 2015 of a plaster dress worn at an event by Miss Pays de la Loire, the future Miss France.
Particularly committed to the transmission of his knowledge, he trains apprentices in his workshop, speaks at applied arts schools and universities, and regularly shares his expertise with the public, notably during the European Days of Crafts. His commitment and the quality of his work have earned him several accolades, including the prestigious Liliane Bettencourt Prize for Hand Intelligence® in 2009 and the Jury's Favorite Prize at the Placo Trophies in 2019.
He embodies a demanding, vibrant, and generous vision of the crafts, where a passion for the hand is combined with a desire to share and innovate.