Translations : Cary Bartsch
Written for people looking for information with meaning, L'Alpe is the first review devoted to the many cultures and heritages of Alpine Europe. Its ambition is to provide information, language barriers not withstanding. As your guide, L'Alpe looks at the people who, from the meandering Danube to the Rhône, have adapted to an exceptional climate. A cross between a book and a magazine, it draws on the first to provide background documents on a main theme, supported by rigorous analysis, an insistence on quality and the notoriety of renown authors. From the second, it adopts a quarterly rhythm for regular contributions to current debates, rich illustrations, the insatiable curiosity of its journalists and a necessarily didactic approach. Though rigorous in its approach to knowledge, L'Alpe is not a scientific journal. It calls on the contributions of history, geography, archaeology, ethnology, etc. to shed light on the meaning of the traces left by man on the mountain environment. And it is also open to current debates on the future of the Alps and other mountains in the world.
Culture vs. nature
Somewhere between man and animal, the wildman lives in
caves deep in the forest, sheds tears over trees felled by
the ax and makes cheese with chamois milk. He may be found
in all mountain ranges and in low-lying forests as well. Is
he a dream of paradise lost or the relic of a virtually
universal founding myth?
"I met the Yeti"
A strange beast, a cousin of the wildman, wanders the
mountains of the world under the name Bar-manu or the
Sasquatch. In the Himalayas, it is called the Yeti, the
famous "abominable snowman". Like Tintin, Messner ran across
the monster in Tibet in July 1986. Long (re)search ensued,
which is presented in his latest book recently published by
Glénat. Excerpts.
Rumour and science?
Alpine fantasy has been haunted for centuries by a
mountain-going hippogryph lacking any magical powers. Called
the jumart, this kind but capricious chimæra,
mentioned by Kant and Voltaire, has intrigued a number of
scientists. Certain people maintain that they crossed paths
with the strange beast during their childhood.
A guide to the Dahu
Highly sought after, this animal, though very fearful
and non-aggressive, nonetheless claims many victims.
Perfectly suited to scrambling around on mountain slopes, it
has a knack for vanishing when hunters approach and has
never been caught in any of their traps. In danger of
extinction due to the terrible scepticism virus, it remains
a mystery for science. Only those most pure of heart have
ever succeeded in coming near the mythical Dahu.
Fire-breathing dragons
A legendary and composite animal, the dragon combines
all four elements, fire, water, earth and air. Though not
specifically Alpine in nature, it is ubiquitous in mountain
regions. The great victory won over dragons by civilising
heroes illustrates the triumph of man over the blind and
violent forces of untamed nature.
Alpine seasons in the Middle Ages
A bear hunt, foxes prancing through a snowbound forest,
herds on high in the summer pastures, falcons, hare and
horses. An entire menagerie takes part in human activities
in the medieval cycle of the seasons at the Eagle Tower of
the Trente castle in Italy.
Hunters worthy of the name?
Quiet anarchy may be the term to qualify Alpine hunting
in the old days. With a rifle hidden in the hay stack and
his pockets full of snares and bait, the Alpine farmer
stalked marmots and prowled after chamois, while the upper
crust flushed the tétras-lyre. Wildlife management
was in the hands of the poachers!
The royal emissary
Hunted relentlessly for its magical and medicinal
properties, the ibex was on the brink of extinction. In a
strange twist of History, it was the King of Italy's love
for hunting that saved the animal.
The man who saw the bear
Mingled traces of claws and fingers on cave walls bear
witness to the long and mysterious relationship between man
and the bear. For thousands of years, they have crossed
paths, shared the same territories, feared and fought each
other. A relationship made up of fright and fascination.
The northern spirit
Since the beginning of time, arctic animals have come to
life on stone and ivory. Swimming bears, birds on wing,
fantastic creatures. This rich tradition is a source of
inspiration for contemporary Eskimo artists in their very
original creative endeavours.
Who is afraid of the big, bad wolf?
Lively and impassioned was the reaction of a provocative
L'Alpe reader, for whom the art of dialectics holds no
secrets. Following the publication in the third issue of
excerpts drawn from a round table discussion on wolves and
transhumant shepherds organised by the
Musée dauphinois, Claude Mauguier
sent in a long, hand-written letter. Op-Ed.
Possible coexistence?
Sheep farmers are afraid of the big, bad wolf? Some
farmers, however, tell another story, in direct
contradiction with the majority view. They made the effort
to go see if wolves and shepherds in other regions have
succeeded in coming to an understanding. Their account.
Leave the wolves alone!
Scarlet-faced and hopping mad. As red as the riding hood
of lore. Urbanite Cavanna, a seasoned infighter armed with
words, takes exception to the many daydreamers of all ilk
who would tend to forget that wolves are in competition with
another large predator - hunters! A heart-felt appeal.
A terrible fright
Machicruta, Papotchantel, Ratepenade, Miare-couette,
Carabi-bonnet, Nitoula, Micaraouda. The names alone are
enough put a fright into a daring young person. Lurking at
the bottom of lakes and ravines, hidden at the back of barns
or deep in the forest, hybrid creatures terrible to behold
await naughty children. Varied in form, the terrifying
Kinderfresser play above all an educational role, as the
exhibition at the Musée dauphinois makes clear.
Wanderlust appeased
One hundred twenty-three mountain shelters, two hundred
thousand meters climbed and descended, a seven-month hike
from the Adriatic to the Mediterranean under the watchful
eyes of the choucas. A transalpine journey, from refuge to
shelter, from Hütte to rifugio, to observe and
penetrate the habits and customs of the high-altitude summer
shelters and their inhabitants, both temporary and
permanent.
Le numéro 8 de L'Alpe, daté été 2000, est en vente en kiosque et en librairie jusqu'au lundi 18 septembre 2000. Il peut également être commandé au service abonnement.