Dossiers

Building a chalet in the mountains :
which wood to choose?

The construction of a timber chalet in the mountains must meet a number of requirements. Mountain chalets have a well-defined architecture, so that the timber construction blends harmoniously into the landscape. Respecting this aesthetic is essential for the preservation and coherence of mountain landscapes and villages.

The traditional wooden chalet is part of our mountain heritage. Chalets, whether on mountain pastures or in villages, are part of this ancestral decor. Today’s version of the wooden chalet has of course adapted to trends in the housing sector. However, in the collective imagination, the wooden chalet still embodies a lifestyle, a cosy interior where the wood remains visible – in short, a certain art of living. Aside from the aesthetic appeal of a wood chalet, which can be a traditional chalet or one with a more contemporary design, the quality of the wood construction is an essential factor in your chalet project.

So which wood should you choose
for your mountain chalet ?

A wooden chalet must be robust enough to withstand the harsh mountain climate, and it must also stand the test of time without deteriorating. That’s why we choose native species of wood for the frame of the chalet (or for the wooden cladding in chalet renovation projects, for example). Wood from a mountain region ages much better in its natural environment than wood from elsewhere, and requires little maintenance. Wood is a living material, sensitive to the conditions in which it grows. Mountain woods are by nature very resistant and adapted to the climatic characteristics of the mountains, such as drought, cold and humidity, which is why these woods are used for the construction of chalets. The species of mountain wood used for our timber frames are generally larch, spruce or Douglas fir. The conditions under which the wood is processed and stored are also important, and form part of the wood selection criteria that must be rigorous to guarantee a quality product, essential for the construction of a solid wood chalet. The wood can then be given different finishes: brushed, steamed, sanded, splintered or stained, all of which will give your wooden chalet a different look.

The post-and-beam chalet construction system used in Grosset-Janin chalets consists of a solid timber frame with a large, extremely resistant cross-section, which supports the weight of the entire wooden structure of the chalet without hindering the interior layout. It’s a timber construction system that retains the authentic charm of the typical mountain chalet, while offering a great deal of freedom to design the interior of a modern chalet.

Wood is a material that blends very easily with other materials such as metal or glass. This means that wood can easily find its place in contemporary designs, in chalets as well as town houses, and can easily adapt to today’s chalet design trends. Wood can be worked in many different ways, opening up a wealth of creative possibilities. Wood is used not only in construction, but also in interior design, furniture and decoration.

Grosset-Janin : wood expertise

Grosset-Janin offers custom-built wooden chalets, as well as wooden fittings and custom-built wooden furniture. We make our own wooden windows, wooden staircases, wooden doors for indoors or outdoors, wooden railings and any other wooden part that can be made to measure to suit your requirements. We master the entire wood production chain, giving us genuine expertise in the wood trades. Each piece of wood is manufactured locally in our workshops for carpentry, joinery, wood fittings and custom-made wooden furniture, located in Domancy, at the foot of Mont Blanc.

For wooden interior fittings, there is a wider choice of wood species. Oak, beech or walnut can also be used, depending on taste and use, with some woods being harder, some having a more pronounced grain, or a darker or lighter shade of wood. A wide choice of finishes is also available, and our interior designers will be happy to advise you on the choice of wood species to suit your project.

The choice of wood species for your chalet construction is therefore important. Wood must be suited to its intended use: timber framing, decking, interior fittings or wooden furniture. Our team of wood and mountain architecture professionals will be able to advise you and help you make the right choices. All our wooden chalets comply with a strict quality charter, both in the construction process and in the care taken with the finishing touches.