If you ever wanted some info on the french guild system:
The french don't actually call it a "guild system", because that would be both clunky and english. It's called the Campagnons. But that's not actually it either. The full name is the Campagnons du Devoir...et du Tour de France. This boils down to "guild system". Continuing...
What is a guild system? You might ask... (or not, depending on your interest)
The french one has been around for a while. A little over an entire century in fact. It was founded in the Middle Ages (5th - 15th century). The notable trades associated with the french guilds are as follows: mason, roofer, cobbler, blacksmith, farrier, painter, winemaker, and a few more associated with the various functions of wood. More recently, electrician and plumber have been added to the list.
There are many "houses", sort of like regional headquarters scattered throughout France. Their website has a cool map of all the locations. Through the encouragement and support of the Campagnons, it's members could become experienced craftsmen (and women) by learning from the best.
Finally, I've been talking about the Campagnons like they don't exist anymore. This isn't true, they've just changed a bit. This brings me to my next point which is, craftsmen from the guilds are still creating cool things for their masterworks. In fact, the article that inspired this "masterpiece of literature" talks about this. You can find it here, and it should answer any further questions. You will be refreshed by the dramatic increase in writing quality.
P.S. You can also check out the extensive wikipedia article on guilds for more info
