A comprehensive retrospective exhibition featuring the work of Michel Viallon, a renowned botanist and photographer, is currently being held at the tourist office in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon from September 13 to 21. The exhibition, titled "Regard sur un territoire" (View of a Territory), is part of the European Heritage Days program, which this year focuses on architectural heritage.
The exhibition raises important questions about contemporary architectural and heritage practices through Viallon's extensive photographic documentation. For nearly fifty years, Michel Viallon, who spent much of his life in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, traversed the plateau and Mézenc region, observing, cataloging, and photographing hundreds of plant species. His botanical work represents a significant scientific contribution to the understanding of the region's biodiversity.
During the 1970s, Viallon also turned his camera toward the area's traditional farmhouses, creating a valuable architectural record of the region's rural heritage. This photographic testimony has taken on particular significance today, as many of these traditional structures have undergone irreversible architectural transformations or have disappeared entirely. The documentation serves as a crucial historical record of the region's vanishing architectural identity.
The exhibition is open to visitors Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM, and on Sundays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The opening reception took place on Saturday, September 13 at 10:30 AM, marking the beginning of this important cultural event.
Viallon's work recently received special recognition from APPEM (Association for the Preservation of the Mézenc Plateau Environment) during a tribute exhibition held at the end of July in Les Estables. This recognition highlights the enduring value of his contributions to both botanical science and cultural heritage preservation. His extensive collection continues to serve as an invaluable resource for researchers, historians, and anyone interested in the natural and architectural heritage of the Haute-Loire region.
