gles that are drier and will last longer.” Shingle-makers prefer to source trees from mountain dells or shady, sheltered spots conducive to straight growth. Only one spruce out of every thousand is suitable for tavillonnage, according to Ropraz, who will need 25 to 30 trees during the course of every year. “I have great respect for these trees. They were here long before us and will remain on roofs long after we have gone,” he says. “I feel honoured and humbled to work with 150-year-old wood.” The trees are felled in mid-November during the last quarter of the waning moon, when it is believed that the sap is at its lowest and the wood is dormant. are going to lay out the wood to dry as quickly as possible.” “It is always a poignant moment when I lay my shingles,” the young man says. Ropraz also gets emotional after he nails the final shingle on any chalet roof. “I sit down, look towards the horizon and think of these little tiles of wood, each and every one of which I made and laid.” But let us not romanticise the profession. “Many people only see these chalets, the tranquility and the surrounding landscape. They never think of the work we put in. These bundles of shingles don’t end up on the roofs by magic. It’s hard work.” Ropraz used to be a talented Swiss wrestler who threw opponents into the sawdust. He says that making a healthy living from tavillonnage is not easy either. The price for one square metre is approximately 175 Swiss francs, which covers sourcing, transporting, preparing and laying the wood. A carefully laid shingle roof will last for an average of 35 to 40 years. Ropraz, whom friends used to rib for doing this old-fashioned job, believes that tavillonnage still has a future. “Everyone talks about sustainability nowadays. Wood is an eco-friendly building material, and our trees come from the nearby forests of Gruyère. It does not get much better.” Have the shingles been laid properly? Tristan Ropraz checks the surface he has just laid, which will keep out the wind and weather for 35-40 years. A job defined by the seasons: the shingle-maker lays the shingles made during the winter in the summer months. This protects the trees from any wood pests. From tree to roof The scent of wood fills the air. Ropraz is in the process of splitting logs. He looks up and points to a forest up on the slopes of Moléson. “This wood comes from over there,” he says. “A swathe of trees in the forest was cut down to make space for a new ski piste. The trees were good for making shingles. The master tavillonneur and I were anxious, so we drove up the hill. At least we rescued six trunks.” The trees were felled at the wrong time and are full of sap. “We revue.link/shingles *Martine Brocard is editor of the Swiss Alpine Club magazine “Die Alpen”, in which the original version of this article appeared. Swiss Review / March 2024 / No.2 Report 16
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