The company - the men    Wood - rates    Workshop sessions    Meeting    News    How to arrive in Fertans    Various activities    Not related    Links    To contact us @  - Bernard Michaud the Forest Man, former lumberjack,    Manager of the company.  - Philippe Bodart violin maker in Besançon and in    Montrond le Château.  - Jean Christophe Graff violin maker in Strasbourg.  - Samuel Passebois, wood cutting department.  - Violaine Hincelin, secretary and accountant.              Our combined experiences allow us to cover the way from the forest to the making of an instrument, therefore offer you the best cut products adapted to your requirements. Our adventure started in the 80s when we met André Camus; he initiated us to know more about "resonance" (acoustic) wood - often neglected in that period - and together with the sawmill Jacquemard located in La Chapelle-sur- Furieuse, we started our activity. Since 1992, the company has grown, we now moved to Fertans, in the Doubs area.       Bernard Michaud "Polyphonic lumberjack", Bernard Michaud is not a musician at all! For the past ten years, this lumberjack from the Haut-Jura mountains has been in close contact with musical instruments "mostly instruments of the violin family" he precises. Responsible for the company "Le Bois de Lutherie", he explores forests to find the most beautiful wood for the instrument makers, cuts it in his sawmill, organizes workshops in violin making that are becoming well known, and even concerts in the small village of Fertans, in the heart of the Doubs area. "From the tree to music, the circle is closed", the 41 -year old enthousiast entrepreneur smiles. "But this is the result of meetings and simple ideas". 10 years ago, while talking with Philippe Bodart and Jean-Christophe Graff, they decided to create together "Le Bois de Lutherie", from a simple basic idea: until then the makers often had to go to Germany to buy their raw material. France also has great resources, and German buyers came to France to shop as well. "We simplified things", says Michaud. Today, he criss crosses forests to find the essential wood to make a violin or a cello. Spruce (Epicea) from France-Comté specially, or maple that he sometimes goes and get in Bosnia. Regarding wood for cellos, you obviously need a large diameter, and the makers particularly enjoy "flamed" wood - a characteristic found in one tree out of a thousand. Together with his lumberjack friends, Bernard Michaud manages in getting the outstanding pieces, even though if nowadays his spirit is somewhat different: "I don't look at trees for their size anymore - I try to imagine how they look inside". "Le Bois de Lutherie" collaborates with craftsmen with particular needs. In the sawmill only 100m3 of wood are treated each year; it is possible to find lilac, willow and barberry (barberis) or other kind of wood that traditional sawmills systematically reject. "I collect anything that looks bizarre" he laughs. "It can always be of interest for a maniac who wants to reconstruct an 18th century instrument, or a sculptor.." Bernard Michaud supplies also persons with a passion for bows, cricket batts, or boat paddles. .An essential diversification and the pleasure of an international clientèle. "In France, the instrument maker community is limited and their production does not exceed 400 instruments per year", he explains. "Our capacity of production can be of 2500 or 3000 pieces a year. Therefore, we extended our market to England, Italy even the United States and Japan". Excerpts from "L'article N° 1292 - 6 June 2002 - www.bois-foret.info   Return to top         Philippe Bodart Philippe was Violin maker in Marseille, Besançon and Cadenet. He built and restored instruments of the violin family. Philippe Bodart is deceased in November 2007. He was preparing his "active" retirement with his family and his friends. Today, Mieke, his wife, continues his work engaged with us. She is sculptor and you can visit her gallery of sculpture : Web: expo.artactif.com/miekebodart/   Return to top         Jean Christophe Graff Jean-Christophe Graff is violin maker in Strasbourg (11, rue Saint-Maurice, 67000 Strasbourg). His workshop is open for making, repairing, maintenance and expertise. Tel +33.388.61.93.37. Jean-Christophe.Graff@wanadoo.fr Web Site: www.luthier-graff.com   Return to top         Samuel Passebois Using the ax to cut wood means more effort but the result is wedges cut in the grain.   Return to top   To contact the webmaster   Telephone: +33 (0) 381865555 - Fax: +33 (0) 381865556 - info@bois-lutherie.com Copyright © 2005 - 2006. Le bois de lutherie