THE MORNING LIST
The Alsatian rail network is considered one of the most efficient in France. From Strasbourg, it only takes a few dozen minutes to access charming little towns, discover little-known museums and take exotic walks among the vineyards.
In Wingen-sur-Moder, glass and jewelry
The hilly country of the Northern Vosges has long been home to glassworks, like the one which, in Wingen-sur-Moder, became the Lalique Museum, about twenty minutes from the station on foot. First established in Paris, René Lalique (1860-1945) was a creator of jewelry, daring masterpieces incorporating the codes of Art Nouveau. This lesser-known aspect of his work is the subject of a temporary exhibition until November 3.
It was after the First World War that the artist arrived in the Moder valley, encouraged by the installation aid from which Alsace-Moselle then became French again in 1918. A prolific artist, Lalique transformed glass, played with colors and transparency, produces hundreds of perfume bottles, contributes to the interior decoration of liners or luxury trains, while drawing from a fanciful bestiary, owls, peacocks, beetles. “He did not remain static, he went from Art Nouveau to Art Deco, from jewelry to glass, experimented with new materials”, explains Véronique Brumm, director of the museum. With gold and precious stones, the artist combines enamels, horn, Bakelite or artificial ivory, galalith, a polymer based on milk protein.
In the rooms with their sober design, one thing is obvious: the older Lalique gets, the more his pieces take on volume. His son Marc continued his father’s tradition, investing in crystal, as evidenced by the immense chandelier, 3 meters high and weighing one and a half tons, hanging in the entrance to the museum.
To get some fresh air after the visit, Wingen-sur-Moder offers a “glassmakers’ circuit” of around three hours which crosses forests and fields. Although no longer linked to the family of the master glassmaker, the Lalique company continues to produce remarkable objects in a factory that can be seen from the train, on the left when heading back towards Strasbourg.
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