20/03/2025
Exciting people from the Alta Langa
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Jan Marchand (58) is what we call a real multi-talent. He comes from Belgium and is a photographer, artist and graphic designer. He and his wife Katja bought a house in 2023 in the Alta Langa near Niella Belbo, which the couple are currently renovating.
We talked to him ...
📞 Hello, Jan....
1. How did you come to live in Alta Langa?
💬 were looking for some years already in the Piedmont region. First in the Monferrato. We always came on holiday for a few weeks and drove around to look for houses that we recognized from the immo sites. Sometimes we made an appointment, but not often. We kept on dreaming.
We wanted to come in wintertime before making a final decision on the region. We looked for a cosy house to rent in December and that holiday house we found in Mombarcaro.
A lovely German couple rented out a independent house in the small borgata where they also lived. Actually, we were never in the region of Alta Langa before, but what we immediately saw was that the landscape was so different with the Monferrato.
Steeper hills, lots of forests/green and it didn’t look so desolate in wintertime. We fell in love with the region. We returned in the month of May 2023 and visited 16 houses in two weeks time.
The day before we had to go back to Belgium, we visited the house that we finally bought when we came back in August. December 21st 2023 we got the keys.
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2. You are currently renovating a wonderful house. What are your experiences with the craftsmen, how is the progress?
💬 Real and honest craftsman, hard working people that are very experienced in renovating those old farmhouses. Our house has two existing small
apartments where we can live in now, while the other part is being renovated.
So we are on the building site when necessary and can follow from very nearby. Its amazing what they already have done in three months time. We
designed our own plans, coordinate and follow up the work of the different craftsmen.
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3. What do you particularly love about the region?
💬 We are in the middle of nature. Beautiful sights on the Alps. Lovely cities nearby like Alba, Mondovi, Torino, Milano, Genova …, lovely restaurants, nice bars.
Beautifull hills to cycle, to ride with the motorcycle, hike. Only one hour drive from the Ligurian coast, or Alps Maritime Skislopes, 2 hours from the Alps.
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4. How would you describe the people here?
💬 We like the easy way of living here. Something that we don’t know anymore living in the city centre back in Belgium. Local people are friendly and some of them became already friends.
When we go to the bar, there is always someone to say hello to. It reminds me of the life i lived on the countryside, long time ago as a child back in Belgium. They still have time here to have a little conversation without stressing about the time. Living close to nature, the seasons, much less stress.
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4. Tell us a little about your work as a photographer, artist and graphic designer?
💬 As an independent photographer I have done corporate portraits, cultural events, also set photography for a professional theater company on all their plays. From time to time weddings, or following people for a day to picture a ‘special’ event in their life (One day in a life).
I followed already people through their whole cancer process or who are terminal and want to have nice memories from their friends and family. You can say that in my commissioned work, it involves most of the time people.
I’m an independent graphic designer. I have different clients, going from designing brochures, logo’s, advertising, websites, packaging, catalogues,
even whole corporate styles. I also design luxury books about sports, medical world and others.
My clients are situated in the food industry, exclusive outdoor furniture, medical business, automotive industries, publishing …
The artist in me (I hate calling myself an ‘artist’) is always on the roll to create. I see daily things around me that inspire me. But also visiting a city or a
museum, old paintings … That can be people, landscapes, even everyday objects.
Sometimes I find a dead animal and want to give it his last tribute to photograph it in a respectful way. For an exhibition, I usually don’t work around a theme in advance, but the ‘flow’ will come along the way to that exhibition.
I like to show pictures which are not always clear what they are at the first hand. I also don’t explain what it is, everyone has to have his own story in what they ‘think’ to see or feel. It asks the spectator for an emotion, to observe, to discover.
My work doesn’t always try to be the reality, but reflects the reality in a possible different way. It can be a reality. I like to use the natural light or the
lack of light. I’m also making collages / paste-ups starting from old pictures, magazines or postcards.
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5. What artistic attractions does Alta Langa offer you?
💬 Nature, landscapes, the sunsets, mountains, nature, people. The easy pace.
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6. Can clients in Piedmont also commission you for work?
💬 Sure they can, they can always contact me and see what we can mean for each other.
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7. What do you do in your free time when you don't have your camera or pencil in your hand?
💬 Working in our Italian house and garden since a year when I’m here. But I’m also a motorbike rider. I traveled a lot for more than 30 years on my motorbike on different continents (Africa, Middle East, Asia…) and in Europe.
Here it is so beautiful to drive my motorbike. Winding roads with beautiful views, high mountain passes, adventure trails, seaside ….
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8. Do you have any plans, dreams or wishes for the future?
💬 Finishing the works in our home here in Italy and enjoy. Travel and discover. Enjoying life as much as possible!
Many thanks for taking your time for us, Jan! 📞
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website: www.janmarchand.be
Facebook Site: https://www.facebook.com/janmarchandPhotographyAndGraphicDesign
Instagram: ,
Contact: [email protected]
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