Five good reasons to discover Fiskars, artist village in the heart of the Finnish forest

With its meandering river lined with oak, maple, and birch trees, framing an old mill and brick forges, Fiskars looks like it came out of a storybook. Yet until the 1980s, this village in Finland was not poetic. It housed the factories of Fiskars, a manufacturer of metal tools known worldwide for its orange-tipped scissors. Created at the turn of the 17th century, the foundry has become in three centuries one of the largest industrial groups in the country. Too cramped in its premises, the company was forced to move but without abandoning the village from which it bears the name. She decided to give it a second life by renting the forges and workers' houses to artists and craftsmen who are now more than 500 to live and create in the village. In 2019,Fiskars has launched its Art and Design Biennale, the second edition of which will take place in spring and summer 2022.

Read also48 hours in Helsinki, from nature to design

On the border between art and crafts

The Onoma boutique sells the creations of Fiskars artists and artisans united in a cooperative and also organizes exhibitions.

Press photo

Strolling through the village, which stretches along the Fiskarinjoki river, one discovers the old buildings of the metallurgy factory whose harshness of yesteryear seems to be a distant memory. We admire pretty brick houses nestled in a bucolic environment transformed into workshops like that of the prestigious manufacturer of wooden furniture Nikari, supplier of many museums around the world, which occupies the oldest machinery in the village. By appointment, it is possible to come and observe the cabinetmakers at work. Very attentive to respect for the environment, the brand only uses wood from around Fiskars. The village also has a forge and a still functioning glass blower, open to visitors.The Onoma boutique sells the creations of Fiskars artists and artisans united in a cooperative and also organizes exhibitions. We discover, among other things, the work of the young generation of Finnish designers such as Laura Mattila and Mikko Mertz, the sculptor Kim Simonsson whose characters are inspired by the imagination of manga or the poetic spheres of the ceramist Erna Aaltonen.

Ceramics in the spotlight

Ceramist Karin Widnäs in the heart of Fiskars.

Press photo

As in all Scandinavian countries, the tradition of ceramics is very strong in Finland.

A place dedicated to this art was missing.

Oblivion is repaired with the opening in 2019 of

(ceramics in Korean), a museum created by

in the heart of Fiskars.

Installed in the village since the mid-1990s, the ceramist wanted the museum building to form a whole with her house and her workshop.

Designed by architect Tuomo Siitonen, the sober wooden buildings open onto the countryside, reminiscent of traditional Japanese houses in harmony with nature.

The museum part, with its superb mosaic porch, covers an area of ​​300 m2, housing the private collection of ceramics by Karin Widnäs and temporary exhibitions by Finnish and foreign artists.

Kwum museum, Backlurantie 12, 10470 Fiskars.

Phone.

: +358 50 511 2232. 8 € entry.

Closure of the museum in October.

Cycling galore

On weekends, many Helsinki residents board the train with their bikes to cycle through the wild forests around Fiskars. Press photo

Over the past five years, Fiskars has carved out a solid reputation as a “cycling destination”. This is evidenced by the Fiskars Village Bike Expo which will be held in the village on April 23, 2022. Visitors (wearing a helmet) will be able to test the bikes on display in the village on the trails around, no less than 60 km perfectly marked by a local association of enthusiastic cyclists, suitable for all levels. On weekends, many Helsinki residents board the train with their bikes to cycle through the wild forests around Fiskars, such as Rissla, famous for its beautiful waterfall. The particularly lush nature is linked to the less harsh climate than in other parts of Finland. There are many endemic plant species around the village. If you don't have a bike,it is always possible to rent one from the Fiskars Village Trail Center. It is better to book them early on at rolloutdoors.com which also offers guided tours.

And in the middle flows a river

Kayak trip on the Fiskarinjoki river.

Press photo

Fiskars is crossed by the Fiskarinjoki river which forms in the large Degersjö lake, located at the exit of the village, before flowing a few kilometers upstream into the Gulf of Finland.

Renowned for its fish-rich waters rich in trout, Lake Degersjö is bordered by lush vegetation, which is adorned with golden colors in autumn and shades of green in spring, offering enchanting landscapes during a kayak trip. .

Providers like SE Action or KD Adventure organize guided tours with picnic and sauna session (from around € 50 / person).

Particularly calm, the lake and the river are perfect for trying out paddle boarding with Natura Viva (65 € / person for a 2-hour session).

Sustainable indulgence

The Café Antique is a cozy cocoon in a doll's house atmosphere.

Press photo

Fiskars is not only a village of artists and craftsmen, it is also a place of culinary creativity with a Slow Food festival which is held every year on the first weekend of October in the old knife factory. of the city (except in 2020 and 2021). More than 70 local producers, associations and chefs come together in a warm and rustic atmosphere to present and taste the best local specialties. You will not fail to drink a homemade rye beer with juniper berries at the Fiskarin Panimo brewery or a glass of Kuura cider, whose distillery recently moved to Fiskars. Outside the festival, the village deserves for its charming cafes such as the Pesula bar which occupies theold laundry and offers a nice vintage setting in which to drink a cappuccino or listen to music while enjoying a cocktail in the evening. The Café Antique is a cozy cocoon where you can savor a

(cinnamon and cardamom brioche) in a dollhouse atmosphere.

Now the Kuparipaja restaurant, the old copper forge offers a beautiful terrace directly overlooking the river in summer and a sober design room where you can savor local recipes that change with the seasons (around 45 € / person).

PRACTICE

How to get there ?

Take the train from Helsinki Central Station to Turku and stop at Karjaa.

Departure every hour.

Approximately 55 minutes journey.

12 € the ticket https://www.vr.fi/en/ From Karjaa take the Amper bus to Fiskars (about 15 minutes) or a taxi.

More info:

fiskarsvillage.fi