Roc D'Orsay, view to Léman, 3.09.2025. 16x26 cm

Roc d’Orsay. View to Léman. 03.09.2025

This original plein-air oil painting was created at Roc d’Orsay near Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, overlooking Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) and the vast landscape of Western Switzerland. Painted directly outdoors, the work captures the sensation of elevation, distance and clarity that emerges when mountain viewpoints open toward the lake, valleys and distant horizons below.

Roc d’Orsay is one of the most remarkable panoramic points in the Alpes Vaudoises. From its slopes and ridgelines, the landscape unfolds across forests, alpine pastures and the basin of Lac Léman, creating a visual dialogue between mountain space and water. The viewpoint is known for its expansive perspectives and constantly changing atmosphere shaped by weather, altitude and light. (alpesvaudoises.ch)

On this September day, the lake appeared far below as a luminous horizontal presence within the broader alpine landscape. The transparency of the air allowed distant forms to remain visible across great distances, while shifting sunlight moved across the mountainsides and the surface of Lac Léman. The contrast between the solidity of the mountains and the openness of the lake created the central rhythm of the composition.

Rather than focusing on a single landmark, the painting explores the experience of looking outward from a high place. The view becomes a study of scale, atmosphere and perception, where forests, valleys, mountains and water are unified by light. The landscape appears immense yet fragile, constantly transforming through subtle changes of weather and season.

The relationship between the Alps and Lac Léman is one of the defining characteristics of the canton of Vaud. From elevated viewpoints such as Roc d’Orsay, the lake becomes part of a much larger geographical and atmospheric space, linking alpine terrain with the distant horizon. (Switzerland Tourism)

Created during a single plein-air painting session, this work preserves a direct encounter with altitude, light and the vast openness of the Swiss landscape. The changing atmosphere, mountain air and distant reflections of the lake became essential elements of the painting process.

This work belongs to my ongoing series dedicated to the Alps, Lac Léman and the landscapes of Western Switzerland. Each painting records a specific moment observed directly in nature before it disappears.

Original plein-air oil painting by Olga Tacan.

Location: Roc d’Orsay, Villars-sur-Ollon, Vaud, Switzerland
Subject: Panoramic view toward Lac Léman (Lake Geneva)
Region: Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
Medium: Oil painting
Date painted: 3 September 2025

Oil on paper

Plain air painting

Size 16 cm x 26 cm

Size with passé-partout  34 x 46 cm 

Date: 3 September 2025

Location: Roc D’Orsay, Vaud, Switzerland