Romain BOULANGER: craftsman of traditions & maker of Alpine horns at Les Clefs

13th February 2025

Meeting with Romain

Woodworking as a matter of course

Romain is 33 years old, and in addition to his Alsatian origins, he is a child of the valley. It was in 1993 that his parents bought the Ancienne Scierie Guelpa located in Les Clefs to live there and market the gîtes. This living space, equipped with a large sheltered courtyard and large workshops inspired his profession: carpentry. He developed his activity seasonally in the first years by being a snow groomer in La Clusaz in the winter and a carpenter the rest of the year.

He created his carpentry company in 2021 called Alp'In Wood, which offers the layout and installation of insulation, terraces, parquet floors, paneling or interior and exterior joinery. Romain also makes parets, a local sled invented in Manigod and which served as a means of transport for the children of the valley. He trained with the elders who taught him the correct manufacturing techniques, which allows traditions and local folklore to perpetuate. Romain broadens his scope and adds a new activity to his workbench which combines his two passions, woodworking and music: the making of Alpine horn instruments.

Passionate musician since a young age

At the same time, he developed a passion for music. It was at the age of 6 that Romain discovered music and began learning the trumpet at the Centre de Pratique Musical de Thônes (CPMT). He still plays this instrument, and has done so for 24 years, in the amateur orchestra of the Harmonie de Thônes "l'Écho de la Tournette", which only includes wind instruments (brass: trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba & woodwind: oboe, transverse flute, clarinet, saxophone). He also teaches the trumpet to students from CE2 to CM2 of the Groupe Scolaire Arthur Thurin de Thônes involved in the "Orchestra at School" project. Over the years and to diversify his practices, he taught himself the French horn, guitar, piano and tuba.

His musical encounter with the majestic Alphorn

It was during a hike in Parmelan that he tried his hand at the Alphorn in 2000 and in 2014 joined 4 musician friends (amateurs and enthusiasts) from the Lou Philosophes group who also play the horn to help them. His passion for this instrument growing, he bought his first Alphorn in 2017 from Jean-Noël PLACE, an amateur Alphorn maker based in Annecy-le-Vieux.

During the Alps Music Festival, held every year in the Aravis, Romain attended a performance and met the Sonneurs de Savoye. This group of Alpine horn enthusiasts, created in 2004, meets once a week in Seynod to rehearse. Composed of around ten people, Romain joined the ranks in 2019 and is now the vice-president and their official horn maker under his brand Alp'In Wood. This musical ensemble has distinguished itself in several local and international events such as village festivals, private events (weddings, seminars, etc.), the return of the mountain pastures to Annecy, the Ski World Cup in Val d'Isère and the Tour de France. The group has received several distinctions and finished 1^er at the International Alphorn Competition in Nendaz in Valais, Switzerland.

The idea was born in 2019 to combine his two passions and Romain trained in the manufacture of Alpine horns with Jean-Noël PLACE. The latter passed on all his knowledge and know-how to him and supported Romain in the manufacture of his first horn. Romain and Jean-Noël still see each other quite regularly to discuss the evolution of the instruments being manufactured in the workshop.

The origins of the Alphorn

Since 14st^rd century…to the present day

The Alphorn appears at 14^rd century throughout the Alps, particularly in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and France. At that time, the instruments were smaller (60 to 80 cm long) and were used by the cowherds tending the herds in the mountain pastures as a means of communication between themselves and with the inhabitants of the valleys. By means of sound signals, the Alphorn was used to warn of dangers and give information from the mountain pastures. For example, a tune still played today announced the ascent and descent of the mountain pastures: Le Ranz des Vaches.

At the end of the 17^rd century, customs evolved and the development of cheese dairies in the villages encouraged the production of cheeses in the valley. The number of cowherds living year-round in the mountain pastures decreased considerably, leading to the loss of the use of the Alphorn.

From 19^rd century, the Alphorn experienced a renaissance as a musical instrument, which has since become increasingly appreciated for its beautiful, round, deep sound.

Today, this wind instrument from the brass family has managed to combine authenticity and modernity and is now part of the folklore of the Alpine regions. Its beautiful sound and appearance make it an instrument that intrigues and arouses people's interest. Romain notes a growing interest:

People want to try it and more and more people are starting to learn the Alphorn.

The making of this extraordinary instrument

The beginnings of the Alphorns

The first horns were made from a single piece of wood, which explains why the Alpine horns were smaller. To do this, the craftsmen took a tree that already had a curved shape at the base of the trunk. These were often trees growing on the slopes of the Jura forests. The trunk of the tree was split into two parts and hollowed out. Once the wood was cut to the right thickness, the two parts were reassembled and sealed using rattan or wicker, which ensured the durability and robustness of the instrument.

Even back then, the wood used to make this instrument was spruce. This type of wood has many advantages: light, robust with excellent resonance that produces clear and bright sounds. Spruce is also widely used in the manufacture of musical instruments such as the guitar, violin and other stringed instruments. Romain confirms:

I only use spruce from the Jura. The quality of the wood is important to have a good final result!

Traditional and modern craft manufacturing

Its manufacture has managed to maintain ancestral techniques while introducing some more modern and facilitating manufacturing processes. The Alpine horn is still made from spruce in the majority of cases. It can also be made from a resonance wood called Arole, a variety of pine that grows in the Alps.

Today, this wooden instrument measures approximately 3,50 m and weighs 3 kg. The manufacturing process remains the same, the piece of wood is still split in two and hollowed out from the inside. One of the main differences is that the Alpine Horn is made up of 3 parts plus a mouthpiece that fit together, making it easier to transport. The Horn therefore no longer needs to be made from a single tree trunk curved at the base. Romain cuts his pieces of wood according to the size needed to make each part of the instrument. It is then necessary to draw the different parts as well as the curved shape of the bell and hollow them out, by machine then by hand to achieve a beautiful curvature and a thickness of wood of 7 mm, allowing the Alpine Horn to be in the right tone.

There are generally 2 tones for the Alphorns. A Horn in F which allows you to play with a wind orchestra for example, and a Horn in F# (F sharp), ideal for playing with other Alphorns.

The two hollowed-out shells are then reassembled with white glue. From now on, the rattan is used for decoration. The pavilions of the Cors de Romain have an opening of 25 cm.

Almost all the parts are made of wood, including the mouthpiece made of turned wood. The mouthpiece creates the sound by the vibrations of the lips against it. Only the joints are made of plastic or aluminum.

Romain tells us:

The Alphorn is about fifteen wooden pieces to assemble in addition to the mouthpiece. To make a classic Alphorn of 3 m, I start with 50 kg of raw wood. It takes me about 80 hours of work. For the small Alphorn that you see there, it measures 100 m, it is much lighter. I work on it for about 1 hours. It is a small model that works very well, it is in the key of B flat, like a trumpet or a clarinet. It can be used as a decorative object placed on its support or to introduce this beautiful instrument to the little ones.

The final touch of this instrument is the application of varnish inside and outside, in 3 layers, to provide protection and durability to the instrument. The varnish for the inside of the Horn is applied before gluing the two shells together.

Romain is taking on a new challenge and will now set about making a new instrument, from the same family as the Alphorn, the Büchel, a sort of wooden bugle.

Practical Info

How many Alphorns do you make per year?

Since 2021, I have made 15 of them, only to order. I want to increase production a little and thus have some in advance to respond to requests more quickly.

Do you notice a growing interest in playing this instrument?

It is certain that the Alphorn is coming back more and more, it is an instrument that arouses interest and that challenges, by its shape, its imposing size and its deep and round sound. All the more so when the Alphorn resonates in the echo of the surrounding mountains.

What is quite surprising is that I receive requests from everywhere, from France and abroad: the United States, Canada, China… I even recently received a request from New Zealand. It is only one request but it is amusing to see that a carpenter based in the small village of Les Clefs receives requests from so far away.

Can you give us a price range for purchasing an Alphorn?

In general, you should expect to pay between €3 and €000 depending on the manufacturer, the type of wood used, etc.