Maurienne, in Savoie, is the region drawn by the Arc Valley, which runs along the border between Savoie and the French departments of Isère and Hautes Alpes in its first part and Italy from Modane and the departments of Isère. This long valley is bordered on one side by the Lauzière and Vanoise massifs. These high mountains block disturbances from the Atlantic and give Maurienne a drier climate than the rest of Savoie. Precipitation, and especially snow in winter, arrives in abundance when the weather is bad in northern Italy.
The result is a drier landscape in the lower part of the valley, with a dominance of deciduous trees and shrubs that grow quite high up the slopes. You have to go beyond Modane to find magnificent larch forests, whose golden colour makes the landscape shine in autumn.
Many passes allow the crossing of mountains. Road passes (such as the Col de la Madeleine, Gladon, Croix de Fer, Galibier, Mont Cenis and Iseran), all closed in winter, but also passes used in ancient times by peddlers, pilgrims and armies such as the Col de l'Autaret, Clappier, Fréjus, Vallée Etroite, Rochilles, Chavière, Aussois and Vanoise…
Today, the Fréjus road tunnel, the railway tunnel of the same name, and the new tunnel under construction for the Lyon-Turin high-speed line perpetuate this tradition of roaming which characterizes Maurienne.
Maurienne has always been a land of passage. And it is thanks to this mixing and this strategic importance that it was able to develop militarily and industrially first and then touristically. Today, hiking trails include these proud-looking forts with extraordinary locations.
But let's go and discover this valley rich in history, heritage and beautiful natural landscapes.
Maurienne and its well-hidden treasures
As soon as you enter the Maurienne Valley, by train or road, you feel how small you are in this world of mountains. Steep slopes, sometimes bare, sometimes wooded, surround you and take your gaze to the sky high above the peaks that crush you.
Here in Maurienne, unlike the Tarentaiseand its high-altitude resorts, almost everything happens at the bottom of the valley, where the Arc flows. And going up this valley means going back in reverse the course of its economic history.
Downstream, at the very beginning of the valley, there are a few factories – not very pretty – power stations that take advantage of the steep slopes of the watercourses and aluminum and plaster factories. One can then have doubts about the relevance of spending a vacation in the area.
The main town, the capital of the valley, is Saint Jean de Maurienne. Its city centre still hides some riches, such as the relics of Saint John the Baptist preserved in the cathedral and the tomb of Humbert aux Blanches Mains, Count of Maurienne but above all the first lord of the future line of the House of Savoy who was at the head of one of the most important European states, until it became the Kingdom of Italy, eight hundred years later.
If Saint Jean de Maurienne or Saint Michel de Maurienne are still villages marked by local industrialization and major construction sites such as the Lyon-Turin railway tunnel, it is in the side valleys and the plateaus above them that you will spend your holidays. And up there, it is another world. Valloire, after the telegraph fort which dominates the Maurienne, on the road to the Galibier pass towards the Brianconnaisor Oisans, is a pretty village full of charm and very authentic in a pretty green valley. It is almost unexpected when you arrive from below. But yes, it is indeed a typical Savoyard village resort. Its ski area is linked to that of Valmeinier and makes it a beautiful place for entertainment. On the heights of Saint Jean de Maurienne, stand both the modern resorts of the Sybelles ski area (La Toussuire and Le Corbier), the fourth largest French ski area by its dimensions, and the village resorts of the Arvan valley such as Saint Sorlin d'Arves, a timeless village, very popular with lovers of alpine landscapes. Here, Nature is harsh, it must be recognized, and this has also been transposed into the buildings of the villages, sometimes austere. On the other hand, it must be recognized that this small valley suspended on the road to the Col de la Croix de Fer has not been damaged by certain architectural horrors of the 70s that can be seen elsewhere. This is a very positive point.
After Modane, we return to Haute Maurienne
Continuing our journey along the Arc, a river that wets the Maurienne, the next stage takes us through the Modane lock. A stopover town, a border town, at the mouth of the Fréjus Tunnel that leads to Piedmont, in Italy, Modane is steeped in the military history of Savoy. The town is surrounded by forts to visit, the most important of which is that of Esseillon. A real lock supposed to protect first access to Piedmont from French troops and then the other way around when Savoy was ceded to France in 1860.
In the immediate vicinity of Modane there are two small family resorts hidden in the forests: Valfréjus and La Norma.
After Modane, it is the Haute Maurienne that begins. In order, Aussois, Val Cenis and its hamlets, Bessans and Bonneval sur Arc are the villages that make up its tourist offer.
Each of them will give you the opportunity to project yourself into what life was like in the mountains: small villages huddled around the church, the town hall and the school. Stone houses, in order to keep the wood for heating. Fields occupied by pastures of cows or sheep or cultivated in order to guarantee sufficient food during the very long winter.
Snow falls from the beginning of November and remains in the highest villages until the end of April. Due to a cold basin effect, temperatures in Bessans often drop to -20 degrees in the heart of winter. The conditions are harsh.
The ski areas of Aussois, very sunny, and that of Val Cenis, overlooking the passage of the Montcenis pass, are the largest. Then, Bessans and Bonneval sur Arc delight cross-country skiing enthusiasts with well-marked loops along the torrent and in the forests in very protected settings. In Bonneval sur Arc, you can also enjoy the downhill ski slopes. But if you push on to Bonneval sur Arc, it is above all because you want to discover this famous and charming little village built in stone.
Who has never seen a photo of Bonneval sur Arc and its church crushed under the weight of the snow? And that of Ecot? So much the better if you haven't seen them, that way the surprise will be total, up there, at the end of the valley. A real gem.
Between Vanoise and Italy, Haute Maurienne is a preserved region
Just like in Haute Tarentaise which is on the other side of the Col de l'Iseran, here in Haute Maurienne, autumn is magnificent! Red larches drop showers of golden pine needles that blaze in the sun. The hike becomes magical, just before the first snows.
Haute Maurienne has remained very authentic: nothing but nature, wildness, tradition.
A dry climate – thanks to the protection of the treetops Vanoise– blue skies and endless nature await you for a very authentic alpine holiday. A true experience of alpine habitat, alpine pastoralism and the entire alpine ecosystem that has been preserved from the follies of mass tourism.
In Maurienne, there is something for everyone, for skiers, as well as for cyclists - they love the high passes that surround the valley - for hikers, and also for strollers.
So, no more doubts, despite its low industrial and uninviting valley, Maurienne is a holiday land over most of its territory.
Activities not to be missed in Maurienne
- Le village charming Bonneval sur Arc
- La hiking between Bonneval sur Arc and l'Ecot
- Discover the diables from Bessans
- Climb up to the Montcenis pass to the lake. Is this where he passed Hannibal with his elephants? No one is less sure.
- Take the Fréjus tunnel to enjoy the Italian gastronomy in Bardonecchia.
- A cultural break at Turin
- The discovery of great high altitude landscapes with the cable car from Orelle (and skiing in the Val Thorens area in winter).
- Discover Valloire before climbing to Galibier pass.
- Find some authenticity in the villages of the Arves valley (Saint Sorlin, etc.)
- Skiing in the fourth largest ski area in France: the Sybelles.
The best webcams in Maurienne
(click on the name of the village)
- Valloire : a magnificent view of the village of Valloire
- The Toussuire: the Arves needles and the Maurienne mountains
- The Norma: The view from the top of the Pistes de La Norma. We can see part of the Maurienne valley and especially Modane, below.
- Lac du Mont Cenis: from the top of the Val Cenis area, a plunging view of Lake Mont Cenis and the road to Italy.
- Bessan: a webcam which overlooks the Bessans valley and allows you to discover the austere landscapes of Haute Maurienne

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