Wood sculpture is an old tradition for the Savoyards. During the harsh winter months the working of wood was an excellent way of occupying themselves by fitting out houses or churches.

Bessans was always a region of sculptors of popular or religious art. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the great masters drawn from Pin Cembro introduced to the Maurienne the statues and twisted columns that adorned so many retables.

For the 15th year, the Bessans Tourist Office plays host to its artists from the High Maurienne, Savoie and neighbouring Piémont ... the art of wood in all its forms, be it religious, naïve or figurative.

In Bessans a story is told by word of mouth... A few years after the end of the war, a songster, angry with the priest, made a sculpture of the devil out of wood and placed it under the priest's window. The inhabitants of the village were so amused in seeing it in front of the presbytery that they all asked for a statue of the "Devil of Bessans"...

What makes Bessans so original today is it is seen as a meeting place. A place for sculptors to meet up, but above all to meet the visitors during the three days the exhibition is held. The artists speak with passion about their work with wood, their inspiration, their creations. Each year, the sculptors appreciate the contact which they have with the enthusiasts who come to Bessans and that is why they have so much pleasure in returning to the Maurienne.

      The exposure takes place in the room of Albaron