shoot from the hip: one great design and a spot of tradition

I was in Samoens last year, a quaint little village in the French Alps which is truly stunning. Overlooked by the mountains and sat not far from the lakes.

Whilst there, and at my hotel, I came across this rather excessive piece of guttering! Excessive but undoubtedly enjoyed by all that lay eyes upon it....no time or cost wasted here in my view - just a Great Piece of Design!

These are the kind of extravagancies that I wish were more often permitted and factored into the allowance of modern designs, regardless of their domain.

Despite Samoens' strong tourist based roots and indeed dependancy for income it's a great ambassador for maintaining old fashioned lifestyle and architecture. Basing its predominant industries around itself rather than altering them to suit its visitors is a dangerous game but one the French quite regularly pull off in such locations. The town is vastly owned and run by its original families' descendants, the basis for this (commonly stubborn) maintenance of tradition.

A host of other shots from the trip that hopefully translate some of the Village's charm.

In The Shadow Of