Trees carved into figures where they once stood

trees carved into figuresSomething that appeared in La Clusaz in recent years is this cluster of four statues carved out of wood. What makes these special is that they’ve been carved where the original trees grew. Their roots are still in the ground. The statue of Mary that they’re facing has been there for much longer, which makes the wooden carvings look even fresher.

I’ve zoomed into the two figures on the right, as the woman praying shows how the carved wood blends with the tree trunk. The man on the left has a walking stick which must have been delicate to carve without breaking.

The little girl pictured is facing away from the figure of Mary which seems a bit strange, but there must be a reason behind it. I have no idea who carved these or why the town decided to cut down the trees to make them into statues, and nobody else seems to know either.

The carvings can be seen just after the last roundabout in town for the direction of the route to the Col des Aravis (at the top of the one-way system). It’s a bit of an arterial so the rally cars and touring families/bikers that zoom past in summer no doubt enjoy the view in a flash. I’m not sure how many winter visitors notice the carvings in the snow while they’re carrying their skis and attempting to walk in clunky boots. So if you’re visiting La Clusaz in summer or winter, remember to take a peek before you miss it.

About

I'm a technical author, journalist and writer from Australia who has been living in Europe since 2000 and exploring the world from there. My passions are writing, snow sports and travel.

2 Comments on “Trees carved into figures where they once stood

  1. Maybe the little girl was distracted by something “over there” but her mother hadn’t noticed. 🙂