In spring 2015 I was commissioned to create a new panoramic photo to put on an existing table that was installed in front of the Maison de la Forêt in La Tzoumaz. The photo had to be delivered by the end of June that year… and the then Head of the Office du Tourism La Tzoumaz wanted to have no snow on the peaks as it was mainly aimed at the summer tourists. In 2015, the Maison de la Forêt was not open during the winter (it is now).
The snow was very clingy that year and only in the last week of June, I managed to take a photo where most of the peaks were clear. The brief was to only label a few mountains, as this picture was going to be used as a part of a quiz that leads you around the path of the senses (Sentier des sens). Participants of this walk had to, among other questions, guess the name of a few peaks. Here the original work and how it looked installed.
I often went back to inspect the panorama and included it in many of my photos as the Maison de la Forêt is in a magical place. Of course… occasionally the panorama went into hibernation, but every spring, once the snow melted, it looked like new.
5 years and 2 Head of Tourism later, the Commune de Riddes decided to update the path of the senses and to move the panorama to a new location (close… but not close enough to be able to use the same photo). The company Bureau d’étude relief got the mandate of redesigning the path.
Again I was lucky enough to get the job to take the photo and to label the view. This time the panorama will not be part of a game and hence I was able to name all the peaks.
Having finished my work, I can’t wait to inspect the installed panorama. The company Corbat Holding is printing all the panels for the new path, including my work. The printing will done be with the method of ‘inclusion by vitrification’ which is a new technology for me. I am very keen to see the result as I am hopeful to use this technology for other projects.
Go and visit the Maison de la Forêt this winter and have a look at the ‘old’ panorama table. Before you know it, it will be gone and the new one will be installed. Time flies when you are having fun!