Is it the invitation to travel evoked by the mapped works? Their noble elegance? The expertise of the goldsmiths who created them? I’m captivated by everything and more at Woodmap’s boutique and workshop in Bagatelle!
Over twenty years ago, Walter and Marie-Paule Nogues, expatriates in Madagascar, discovered the incredible marquetry work of the Betsileo people of the highlands. In 1999, they created Woodtech, fusing laser printing and the aforementioned Malagasy art, before moving to Mauritius to found Woodmap in 2009. Since then, Malagasy and Mauritian artists have been showcasing their unique, ancestral know-how.
The store features a large number of world maps, board games made entirely of wood, paintings and other remarkable pieces, but above all, the craftsmen honor many fully customizable orders. Choose or imagine the model and dimensions, select your colors and entrust the work to the operators who will bring the piece to life in just a few days.
The carpenter cuts the support, the contour and the parts in the various natural wood species – imported from all over the world and FSC/PEFC certified. The laser operator cuts and engraves the model. The markers assemble, glue, sand and wax, with disconcerting agility and artistic acuity. Each step in the process is born of the infinite meticulousness of each gesture.
Woodmap even holds a patent for its signature 3D marquetry globe. A true technical feat requiring four to five months’ work, the piece is unique in the world; vintage orbs are generally made of painted wood. A real favorite!
