Val Montjoie Pottery
Description
La Poterie du Val Montjoie offers a range of creations made entirely by hand in St-Gervais. They are the last living testament to the shaping and decorating techniques of this traditional Savoyard craft, which is, sadly, now on the verge of disappearing.
The ‘Poterie du Val Montjoie’ is nestled in the heart of the Val Montjoie, in a former 19th-century farmhouse set in an exceptionally well-preserved setting. Established for nearly half a century between Saint-Gervais and Les Contamines, the workshop creates practical and beautiful pieces, genuinely crafted on site using natural raw materials, traditional tools and most of the shaping techniques that have made Savoyard pottery famous. Entirely handmade and hand-decorated, the collections produced in this workshop combine the spirit of tradition with modern practicality (dishwasher, microwave, etc.). The potter himself will welcome you to the workshop to show you his work and his creations.
You will have the opportunity to tour the workshop, ask the potter about the techniques used, the unique history of this local craft and its engobe decorations applied using the ‘barolet’ method, as well as those created using the ‘thumb-press’ technique, the ‘jaspé’ style, or the famous ‘croix du colporteur’… and perhaps even leave with a piece crafted in the last workshop in the Mont Blanc region still practising this traditional, local craft: the very essence of the ‘short supply chain’!
Available to order only, you can have certain items from the collections personalised: wedding and birthday platters, baby plates, mugs, bowls or egg cups with first names and/or the date of an event… all original ideas for unique gifts that will forever mark important moments in the lives of family and friends. For this type of order, if there is a specific deadline to meet for delivery (the date of the ceremony, the event, etc.), you should still allow a reasonable lead time for production: the potter is just a craftsman, not a magician! About a month in advance seems a reasonable timeframe.
Visits by appointment only, in the afternoons. Opening days vary depending on the time of year (high or low season, summer or winter); please contact the Tourist Office for further information.
Princing
We do not accept credit card payments.