"No two snowflakes are the same".writes the Journal de Saariselkä. And you can trust him. Because when it comes to snow, they know their stuff in this village of 350 inhabitants, but 13500 beds in the heart of Lapland, in the north of Finland, in the municipality of Inari.
It's the last month of autumn. It's time for kaamos, the "sunless period. A misnomer, in fact, because contrary to what people say in our latitudes, the supreme star never completely disappears from the landscape, even at the turn of winter. Back to the Saariselkä Diary: "the season without sun does not mean a period of darkness. Although the sun is below the horizon, its rays continue to shine."
In fact, for visitors in December, this polar night offers a unique spectacle. In its luminous halo, the sun reveals only the most secret shades of its chromatic palette: purple, electric blue, even violet. Occasionally, it deigns to release its particles into space. Their encounter with the ionosphere, high above, will create an unprecedented dance between light and night that bears the evocative name of the "night sky"."aurora borealis.
It's the star of Saariselkä. People come here from all over the world for the chance to see these famous birds at least once. "northern lights for the French, "northern lights in English. A wish that quickly turns into a game, a whim that gently invades every conversation. "Did you see the one yesterday? It was magnificent! I hear there'll be an even more beautiful one the day after tomorrow... " That's how you come across the streets of the town, between a dog-sled ride and a session in the sauna. After all, there's plenty to do in Saariselkä in between watching the northern maiden. Just look at your itinerary to see for yourself.
Slides galore
First day: snowmobile safari. A must for individuals and incentive groups alike. "We've already welcomed 1100 people from McDonald's. But normally, the maximum size is 99 people, with one guide for every seven participants."he explains. However, whatever the number, the objective remains the same: to set off in search of thrills in the wilderness behind the handlebars of an 800cc bike. And there's no shortage of possibilities, with 1,000 kilometres of trails around Saariselkä. There are plenty of options, from the basic "three hills safari to a night safari in search of the Northern Lights, or the "wilderness and ice fishing. On late-morning excursions, the route usually stops halfway along the way at a trapper-style log cabin, where the guide prepares a wood fire and heats up the participants with coffee, tea and the ever-present, but always welcome, salmon soup with dill.
Encounter with a fir tree
So much for comfort. But, of course, snowmobiling is also about action. The body is put to the test, because driving a snowmobile requires strong arms and, above all, constant vigilance. The machine is not easily straightened, and the slightest deviation can earn you, in order of seriousness, the taunts of the group or an unwanted tête-à-tête with a conifer.
On the other hand, there's no need to worry about the cold: the service providers supply everything you need to combat this nipping enemy, with the appropriate clothing, heated handles and foot holder. Nor is there any risk of the cold coming in the evening, when you go for a ride in a reindeer-drawn sleigh, a ride that will seem quite peaceful to the survivors of the snowmobile raid. Here, the appeal lies not in the exhilaration, but in the contemplation, lying back in the sleigh, snuggled up under the blanket, eyes darting over the starry canopy of maples and elms. You can also choose to take this walk during the day, but it takes on a special dimension at night, when the sky is clear and the northern lights start to dance.
Of course, if there's a snowstorm, it's a different story, so it's best to stay warm and cosy by the fireplace to prepare for the next expedition, the husky safari. And to brush up on any last-minute advice before setting off. Be careful at the start: on snow as on ice, huskies start off with their feet to the floor for around ten metres before slowing down to take advantage of the sliding effect. Then keep your wits about you: despite the pleasure of a wild ride in the forest, it's best to keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the reins and one foot on the sledge brake. With a pack speeding down an icy road, the white paradise can suddenly turn into an ordeal for all passengers.
If all goes well - and it always does - the husky safari will leave you with an exquisite memory of a lovely walk through the white valleys of Lapland, perhaps followed by lunch in the hut or a visit to the kennels where you can get to know this dog with the disturbing eyes of a Siberian wolf.
Wood-fired sauna
A break. That's what the body is crying out for after this intensive regime of activities on the big white carpet. And in Lapland, as elsewhere in Finland, the sauna is the place to take that break. Here's a figure to give you an idea of the scale of the phenomenon: there are over 2 million saunas in the country for just 5.2 million inhabitants! An essential part of the local lifestyle, present in almost half of all homes. Easier, more practical and less expensive, the electric version has naturally captured most of the market. Fortunately, however, there are still a large number of traditional wood-burning saunas without chimneys: the famous savusauna or 'smoke sauna'. A remarkable one can be found in the graceful resort of Kiilopää, 16 kilometres from Saariselkä.
Here's how it works... Every morning, at seven o'clock, an attendant sets fire to the pile of willow logs gathered in a huge vat with stones on top. After six hours of active combustion, the door is finally opened to let out the smoke and let in the first volunteers. The daily sauna merry-go-round can begin. You sit down, keep quiet, sweat and suffer in silence for a few minutes in the delicious smell of wood fire and mineral heat. After a few minutes, just before the gentle torture begins its unpleasant side, you emerge from the furnace dressed as Eve or Adam to face the winter. Your skin is ready to be cooled just as violently as it has just been warmed.
At this stage, there are two schools of thought. The first is to roll around in the snow. Spectacular and photogenic, but much less daring than the second option: diving into the hole dug in the icy stream... Whether you dare or not, there's only one thing you can be sure of: it's calming.
End of the break and back to the action. At the Actionpark, to be precise, the best place to learn about another of the local specialities that is difficult to export: driving on ice and snow. With its inhuman curves and astonishing acceleration, you need a heart even stronger than your belt to get into the car of the madman behind the wheel for this baptism of fire on an immaculate circuit. It's safe, of course, but you can be sure at every turn that your last minute is coming. The Actionpark's flagship product is the "snow comboThis is where you'll find the best of what the resort has to offer visitors for a day: winter driving training, ice karting, a ride in a rally car accompanied by an experienced driver and a meal in a Lapland tent or in the on-site restaurant.
A polar ball
But by piling up so many exceptional modes of transport, we almost end up neglecting the appeal of the ordinary, good old-fashioned cross-country skiing. "Here, when children start to walk, we put them on skis". to justify the 200 kilometres of dedicated trails - 40 of which are floodlit - that Saariselkä has to offer. An abundance that promises a leisurely stroll through the woods, but not only that. And it's not all spruces and Scots pines on Saariselkä's trails. Take the route to the Hotel Laanihovi, one of the most popular, for example? Every afternoon there's a monotanssit ball - literally "Ski boot dancing?- along a small four-kilometre track known as the "perfume route. It's easy to see why, when you see the care taken by the ladies and girls on the dance floor. Dressed and dolled up, each one quickly finds her own style and we watch with a certain fascination as these couples, more or less legitimate depending on the chronicle, twirl around without saving themselves to the dance rhythms that are totally neglected in our countries. As the hours go by, as the drinks flow by, one thing becomes clear: for many of the guests, the return journey is bound to be less straight and much longer than the outward journey...
Sami costumes and customs
As the sun melts away, it's time to get back on the trail. Some will spend the night in the big resorts or the cosy huts of Saariselkä. Others will continue their tour of the Lapland musts, pushing on to Kakslauttanen and its village of ice and glass igloos, before setting off in the early morning to meet the Sami people. Then head north to Inari, just an hour's drive away, to visit the SIIDA museum of Sami culture.
But what is this mysterious people who present themselves as "the only indigenous people in the European Union". ? "The Sami are the descendants of the people who settled in northern Fennoscandia at the end of the Ice Age, around 10,000 years ago". So much for the encyclopaedic hook. Now for the statistics: there are now almost 75,000 Sámi in the whole of northern Europe, half of them in Norway, the rest spread across northern Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Eskimo lovers beware: the Sami is light-skinned and, stripped of his traditional costume, there is little to distinguish him from an ordinary Scandinavian in the eyes of foreigners, apart from a particular way of life, customs and language.
This particularity gives them a special legal status, enshrined in the Finnish constitution in 1995, which grants them the right to "to maintain and develop their language and culture, as well as the traditional activities associated with them". as well as being able to use the Sami language when dealing with the authorities. The Sámi have their own parliament, newspapers, radio, TV news, storytelling and a musical tradition that is still very much alive, namely joik singing... These strange a capella melodies of shamanic essence are now being adapted by the younger generation in rap, techno or heavy metal versions.
For a first approach to Sami culture, the SIIDA museum is the ideal place, large enough to offer a complete introduction, yet compact enough not to stress the visitor in a hurry. How does a reindeer farm work? What does a wedding costume look like? What weapons and tools are used to hunt birds, deer and fur-bearing animals? And what is done with the berries after they have been picked? All these questions can be answered in this area, which in fine weather is complemented by an open-air museum where you can discover in vivo a habitat and a way of life that are completely different. We'd love to linger and find out more, but Inari is 40 kilometres from Ivalo airport and it's time to leave. Night is falling and the sky is clear. With a bit of luck, we'll be able to see one last aurora borealis before taking off.
Finnish Lapland: silence, lights and action!
- Finnish Lapland: silence, lights and action!
Finnish Lapland: practical guide and useful addresses
