Matt Berthou,
the photographer of the Scandinavian countries

@mattberthou

@mattberthou.conseils

MattBerthou

Discovery

My name is Matthieu Berthou.

I am 37 years old and I am based in Clermont Ferrand in France.

Traveling gives me a feeling of adventure, of freedom, of self-discovery. When we travel, we discover new cultures, new landscapes and we can make incredible human encounters.

I use the photo to tell and share my travels. This allows me to capture what causes me emotions.

Via my instagram pages, I share my favorite photos and I want to help people discover the beauty of our planet. I hope that through my pages, my emotions about the present moment of the photo show through.

The Scandinavian landscapes with its fjords are breathtaking, I feel right at home. I like the freshness. Its capricious weather makes it a destination to be deserved. I’m a fan of red Norwegian Scandinavian houses or those with grass roofs on the Faroe Islands.

Since I started photography, I have had a great desire to go to these countries and return there to take wonderful photos and present them to you.

Matthieu Berthou au bout du Danemark avec les drapeaux de ses pays scandinaves les plus visités

My journeys

Faroe Islands

Little known in Europe, the Faroe Islands are just a real gem … At the same distance from Scotland, Norway and Iceland, this Danish autonomous territory is made up of 18 islands inhabited by 50,000 inhabitants. In not even 2 hours by plane from Paris, one finds a feeling of being at the end of the world on an inhospitable and wild land where nature still has its rights. The landscapes are breathtaking with picturesque fishing villages with grass roofs. There are countless species of birds and there are sheep everywhere. I have a crush on puffins. They can be easily seen in the Faroes on Mykines Island. The Faroes have kept their authenticity.

Norway

Norway is the kingdom of the far north, my favorite, the land of the Fjords, travels between sea and mountains with its eternal snows … Just Breathtaking and indescribable.

I love to capture the beauty of its landscapes. I am in love with its red and yellow huts built on pebbles. Norwegians are artists at heart. Its landscapes are soothing and imposing with its mountains which are reflected in the sea. Transport is original. You can go by boat from one island to another, and through endless tunnels, from one fjord to another. Summer and winter, Lofoten is the spot to discover in Norway. I also recommend Bergen and the Odda region.

Denmark

Copenhagen is the most cosmopolitan and the most accessible of all the Scandinavian capitals. it is an urban haven of peace, culture and friendliness. It is also one of the greenest cities in Europe. There are many parks there. Copenhagen is a city without traffic jams, but it can be explored on foot. You can see the iconic Little Mermaid statue there. You absolutely have to try their famous hot dogs.

I discovered another part of Denmark on my way to the Faroes by car. And I was surprised by the very different but no less picturesque architecture of other Scandinavian countries, such as the cities of Aarhus and Aalborg. The streets are original and very flowery. I was for a few seconds the tallest man in Denmark at Skagen Point.

Sweden

Going to northern Sweden in winter is already an adventure. Between the temperature -26 and at night at 3:00 p.m., you must be prepared psychologically and technically with the appropriate equipment. I was apprehensive about the resistance of my drone and phone batteries and my ability to ride on very snowy roads. My tires are really suitable and it is a real pleasure to ride in the Lapland. Headlight calls don’t alert you to the police, but to queens and moose crossing the road. The playground for the inhabitants of Luléa is the sea transformed into ice floes. The Sunday walk is done by snow scooter, cross-country ski or on foot to walk the dog. It is a real experience to be able to walk on this ice floe which usually welcomes boats. In winter, we also go to northern Sweden to see the Northern Lights, you just have to fall on the right week.

Summer and winter, Stockholm is made up of a multitude of islands linked by bridges, making it a city as original as it is airy, very pleasant to explore on foot. Exploring a capital surrounded by pack ice in winter is not common.

Iceland

Discover the raw and wild beauty of Iceland, land of fire and ice. This recent island located on the American dorsal barrier which permanently activates volcanic activity, will have many surprises in store for you.

You can also observe geysers, lava fields, magnificent waterfalls or icebergs, whales, puffins and the northern lights in winter. Nature imposes its rules, you can either tour the island in a city car or rent a 4×4 to get to the heart of the island in the middle of nowhere. In all cases, a total change of scenery is guaranteed. Stay reserved for adventurers …

Finland

We go there for its forests of Lapland, its lakes, its northern lights and to see the village of Santa Claus …

Of all the Scandinavian countries, this is the one where you are most likely to see the Northern Lights.

The best time to go to Finland is in the winter to get deep into the magical landscapes in a husky dog sled where you try a snowshoe getaway in the middle of the forest taking all your time. You will end your day with a sauna initiation which is an integral part of Finnish culture. But the best part is the magic of the Northern Lights shows which can be observed in Finnish Lapland for around 200 nights a year, provided the sky is clear.

Find me on my social networks

@mattberthou

@mattberthou.conseils

Mattberthou

Mattberthou Conseils

@isle.of.skye.scotland

@nordic.faroe.islands

@nordic.iceland

@nordic.norway