The Maurienne Valley

Maurienne and Haute Maurienne!

The Maurienne and its hidden treasures

As soon as you enter the Maurienne valley, by train or road, you feel how small you are in this mountain world. Steep slopes, sometimes bare, sometimes wooded, surround you and draw your gaze up to the sky above the crushing peaks.

Here in the Maurienne, unlike in the Tarentaise and its high-altitude resorts, almost everything happens at the bottom of the valley, where the Arc flows. And going up this valley means retracing the course of its economic history.

Downstream, at the very beginning of the valley, there are a few factories - not very pretty - and power stations that take advantage of the steep gradients of the watercourses, and you might have doubts about the relevance of spending a vacation in the area.

While Saint Jean de Maurienne and Saint Michel de Maurienne are still villages marked by local industrialization and major construction projects such as the Lyon-Turin rail tunnel, it's in the side valleys and plateaus above that you'll spend your vacations. And up there, it's another world. Valloire, past the telegraph fort overlooking the Maurienne, on the road to the Col du Galibier on the way to the Briançonnais or the l'OisansValloire is a charming, authentic village in a pretty, green valley. It's almost unexpected when you come from the cow floor, but yes, it's a typical Savoyard village resort. Its ski area is linked to that of Valmeinier, making it a great place to have fun. The heights above Saint Jean de Maurienne are home to the modern resorts of the Domaine skiable des Sybelles (La Toussuire and Le Corbier), France's fourth-largest ski area, as well as the village resorts of the Vallée d'Arves, such as Saint Sorlin d'Arves, a timeless village much loved by lovers of Alpine scenery. It's true that nature is harsh here, and this is also reflected in the sometimes austere architecture of the villages. On the other hand, it has to be said that this little valley suspended on the road to the Croix de Fer pass has not been damaged by some of the architectural horrors of the '70s that can be seen elsewhere. That's a good thing.

After Modane, the Haute Maurienne

Continuing our journey along the Arc, the river that wets the Maurienne, the next stage takes us past the lock of Modane. A stopover town and border town at the mouth of the Fréjus Tunnel, which leads to Piedmont in Italy, Modane is surrounded by forts worth visiting and two small family resorts lost in the forests: Valfréjus and La Norma.

After Modane, the Haute Maurienne begins. In order, Aussois, Val Cenis, Bessans and Bonneval sur Arc are the villages that make up its tourist offering.

The sunny Aussois and Val Cenis ski areas, overlooking the Col du Montcenis pass, are the biggest. Then there's Bessans and Bonneval sur arc, with their well-defined loops along the torrent and in the forests, in highly protected settings.

Who hasn't seen a photo of Bonneval sur Arc and its church crushed under the weight of the snow? And the one of l'Ecot? If you haven't, you're in for a real surprise, up there at the end of the valley.

Between the Vanoise mountains and Italy, Haute Maurienne is an unspoilt region

Just as in Haute Tarentaise, on the other side of the Col de l'Iseran, here in Haute Maurienne, autumn is magnificent! Red larch trees, showers of golden pine needles blazing in the sun. The hike becomes magical, just before the first snow.

Haute Maurienne has remained very authentic: nothing but nature, wilderness and tradition.

A dry climate - protected by the peaks of the Vanoise- blue skies and endless nature await you for a truly authentic alpine vacation. A true experience of alpine habitat, alpine farming and the whole alpine ecosystem that has been preserved from the follies of mass tourism.

There's something for everyone in the Maurienne, from skiers and cyclists - who love the high passes that surround the valley - to hikers and strollers.

So, no more doubts. The Maurienne is a vacation destination!

Discover this region by reading the following articles from the AlpAddict blog!

Discover the Maurienne on video

The best webcams in Maurienne

(click on the village name)

• Valloire A magnificent view of the village of Valloire
• La ToussuireThe Aiguilles d'Arves and the Maurienne mountains
• La NormaThe view from the top of the Pistes de La Norma. You can see part of the Maurienne valley and especially Modane, below.
• Lac du Mont CenisFrom the top of the Val Cenis ski area, a bird's-eye view of Lac du Mont Cenis and the road to Italy.
• BessansBessans: a webcam that overlooks the Bessans valley and allows you to discover the austere landscapes of the Haute Maurienne.

Activities not to be missed in Maurienne

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