The dove sculptorJean Pierre David

INSPIRE

Jean Pierre David

the Opinel specialist

In the David family, Pépé Théo first learned the gestures from his father in the 1920s, which he then passed on to his son Jean-Pierre, when he was 15-16 years old.

Published on 3 April 2025

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Jean Pierre David

With the sharp blade of his Opinel, Jean-Pierre David has been skilfully carving the wooden bird for almost 50 years!

We speak of

Wood carving

Dove-making is still carried on today by a handful of passionate specialists, often initiated within the family circle and handed down through the generations.

Episode 16

Jean-Pierre David

Inspire by Les Portes du Soleil

Perhaps you’ve already seen a spruce dove in a chalet or above a cradle? Chapellan Jean-Pierre David tells the story of the origins of these mysterious carvings, symbols of peace and good luck.

THE INSPIRED

Jean-Pierre David

the portrait

A farmer in summer, he lets the snow cover his alpine pastures each winter to return to life in the valley. So, far from the hustle and bustle of skiers on the slopes of the Portes du Soleil all day long, it’s in the heart of Châtel that he finds himself, sheltered in his chalet logically named “Les Colombes”. There, peacefully seated by the fire, he takes out his trusty knife and begins to cut his preciously preserved pieces of damp wood. Since the 1970s, Jean-Pierre David has made dozens of doves every season, delighting locals and tourists alike. Even today, his skillful gestures bear witness to decades of practice. While many mountain dwellers of his generation followed the modernism of ski resorts, he continued to cultivate a little-known folk art.

Since his first dove, Jean-Pierre has never stopped making them.

The history of doves

Typical art

of the Val d’Abondance

A popular art object typical of the Val d’Abondance, doves are said to have been made in the past during the long winter evenings or on the mountain pastures in summer. Made from pieces of spruce carefully selected at altitude, some see them as symbols of peace, while others hang them as good-luck charms to protect their homes. Whatever one may say, they are also a heritage that links us to the past, to traditional values. Like fragments of history testifying to mountain identity, these finely sculpted birds remind those who own them of their attachment to the Haute-Savoie region, to the special terroir of the Chablais and the Vallée d’Abondance…