It is in the village of l’Entre Deux that Jean-Marie Payet, as robust as ever at 65 years old, cuts and carves basalt with his hammer and chisel. On the slopes of the Dimitile massif, this village works towards the preservation of the island’s patrimony. With its Creole homes, trades of yesteryear, artists and artisans, one must stop off here or at least pass through, when heading towards the south.

This artisan, a rarity nowadays on Réunion Island, is originally from Ilet Furcy, situated on the road leading to Cilaos. He started carving stone when he was twenty years old: “I started in 1962. At the time, there was a lot of work. People came looking for us and asked us to work in the building trade”.

However, he also recalls the various problems encountered that resulted in him moving to l’Entre Deux. “We came to this area to collect the stones from places such as Ravine Citron. We then had to head back down and cross over the river. However, as there was no bridge across the rives, we often dropped a lot of the stones on the way”…

His family has been living in their house up above the village at Bras Long for the last thirty-four years. Jean-Marie no longer carves edifices. He does, however, continue to go and get stones alone, on his motorbike, and takes the time to find those of a necessary quality for what he has in mind.

Pestles of different sizes, some decorated, some not, corn mills, soya bean mills…numerous objects from the past, as might be found in a museum. The latest idea is that of small, square, polished paperweights. Once finished and polished on the grinder, everything is stocked in a small shed. This humble and discreet carver takes his time in finishing off his pieces of work.

Time and patience

Once the stones have been selected, precision comes into play and he cuts them with a circular saw. Installed on his stone bench, he quietly carves away with hammer and chisel. He uses small iron compasses and a pen to help him and that’s all. His strong points are his agile, quick moving hands and his feet that he uses as a vice and a support. It is a profession that requires patience. The carving of a pestle takes a day and that of a corn mill, a whole week!

The father and grandfather that he is, advises against following in his footsteps: “it’s very difficult and it’s long and tiring. One needs to go further and further down the river to find the stones. However, I have always enjoyed what I do. One cannot do this job unless one loves stones”. A few years ago, the tourist office put up sign posts leading towards his house and his open-air workroom, situated on the Chemin des Rêves.

Jean-Marie continues to work as much as he can, because he is passionate about what he does but also because he has too: “it’s a question of survival as, in this profession, there is no such thing as retirement. One has to manage on one’s own”, he explains calmly. Every year, he takes part in different craft exhibitions such as Expo Bois at La Rivière Saint Louis and the “fait main” (hand made) exhibition.