Until 31 October 2026, BARNES Annecy opens its doors to Gilles Giacomotti, a painter with deep ties to Annecy who turns wood into a living material. On Thursday 1 October, the opening brought together many of our clients around him, in a warm atmosphere and with a success that exceeded our expectations.
Showcasing the people who give our region its character is one of BARNES’s commitments in Annecy. An exceptional property is never just a matter of square metres; it tells a story about a way of living, a sensitivity to materials, to light and to craftsmanship. That is why we open our agencies to artists who embody local craftsmanship and art de vivre.
Wood, a living material
Gilles Giacomotti works with an ageless material: wood. Parquet floors, wall panels and paintings become a field of experimentation for him, where every stage of creation opens up a new means of expression. The nature and surroundings that he lives in inspire each of his works, all of them unique.
His approach is founded on respect. Rather than hiding the surface, his colours reveal its “traces of life”: knots, grain and imperfections become the signature of the work. Through transparent colours and many layers of glaze, he creates a depth that the eye discovers little by little, following the grain of the wood.
A work by Gilles Giacomotti is not taken in at a glance: it reveals itself gradually, like a beautiful house whose rooms you come to know one by one. In a region where wood shapes both architecture and daily life, his work strikes a natural chord.
An international career, local roots
A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Dijon in 1987, Gilles Giacomotti also trained in decorative painting with the Compagnons in Lyon. This dual heritage, between contemporary creation and artisanal excellence, runs through all of his work.
After ten years in New York, he chose to settle back in France. He now divides his time between Paris, Annecy and abroad, true to the landscapes that inspire him. His path echoes that of BARNES: an international outlook rooted in local ties.
BARNES, committed to local talent
Welcoming Gilles Giacomotti is a way of affirming who we are: a house rooted in its region. Present in more than 20 countries, the BARNES network has been built on the French art of living. In Annecy, that art of living takes on the colours of the lake, the mountains and the talented people who bring the region to life.
Every day, our consultants support owners and buyers in the sale and purchase of exceptional properties. Yet our role goes beyond the transaction: we want our agencies to be meeting places where architecture, fine craftsmanship and local expertise come together.
This exhibition embodies that commitment. It invites our clients, our partners and all art lovers to discover a local artist, and to share what brings us together: a taste for beautiful things and for places with soul.
“Showcasing local talent is part of what we do. A home is also lived through the works of art it holds.” Patrice Ropers, Agency Director, BARNES Annecy
See the exhibition at the BARNES agency in Annecy, 9 bis avenue d’Albigny
If you are passing along avenue d’Albigny before 31 October 2026, you will see, among other works, a view of the lake with bluish mountains, in the spirit of his Les Bleus du Lac series, and a portrait of a woman seen from behind, painted on a large wooden panel. Gilles Giacomotti follows Elle Duval, the abstract painter whose work was shown at the agency from 18 February to 18 April 2026.
The lake with its bluish mountains that Gilles Giacomotti paints, some people choose to have right outside their windows. Our homes for sale around Lake Annecy, like our properties for sale in Annecy, can be discovered at our BARNES agency in Annecy, among his panels: a chance to picture the home where one of his works might one day hang.
