Walk and discover the most beautiful sites of the Beaufortain

Welcome in the Beaufortain ! Everything around you is green, clean, natural. It's summer, the sun caresses your face while you breathe in the scents of the mown meadows. Agricultural, authentic, go to the discovery of Beaufortain !

You love them wooden chalets Do you love rugged and sometimes challenging mountains? Do you love peaceful landscapes where nature reigns supreme and humans are few and far between? You'll love your holiday in the Beaufortain!

When you leave Albertville and the Val d'Arly and take the road that goes back up towards Queige, you feel that you are leaving the hyper-touristy world of the big Savoyard winter sports resorts. discovery of Beaufortain takes on the appearance of an adventure.

Immediately the landscape becomes rougher, wooded and the sides of the mountains rise quickly up to the blue of the sky. After having traveled a road which runs alongside a torrent at the bottom of a valley, it must be said, quite steep, you suddenly find yourself in a wide valley. All around, wooden chaletsSometimes ancient, sometimes more recently built, they appear perched high in the alpine pastures and accessible only by improbable roads that wind through the fields. At the heart of this hollow in the mountains lies Beaufort, the historical, geographical, and economic capital of this natural fortress that is the Beaufortain region.

In this article, you will discover:

• the natural treasures of the Beaufortain
• the villages and heritage of the Beaufortain
• road trips to discover the lakes and mountain passes around Beaufort
• ski resorts for winter recreation
• The Pierre Menta, a legendary ski touring event
• How to access the Beaufortain

Let's explore the Beaufortain, this authentic region of the Alps Savoie.

Le Beaufortain, a preserved natural enclave

The Beaufortain is a closed massif, appearing to live in self-sufficiency, organized around valleys that converge towards Beaufort, like the ramifications of the same pastoral world.

The climate partly explains this unique character. Located between the Mont Blanc massif, the Tarentaise Valley, and the Val d'Arly, the Beaufortain receives abundant rainfall. In winter, the snow is plentiful; in summer, the pastures remain green for a long time. This moisture nourishes the alpine meadows and explains the agricultural richness of the massif. Here, the mountains are not only rocky: they are fertile. Greenery at every level seems to be the true symbol of the Beaufortain.

But the Beaufortain region also has another face: that of a citadel whose high walls allow it to keep watch over the surrounding mountain ranges. The great mountain passes—Cormet de Roselend, Col du Joly, Col du Pré, Col des Saisies—open up vast horizons towards Mont Blanc, the Aravis range, and the Vanoise massif. And everywhere, iconic silhouettes emerge: Grand Mont, Roc du Vent, Pierra Menta, Aiguille du Grand Fond… Ancient mountains, very different from the limestone Alps of the Prealps, with their dark metamorphic rocks and powerful forms. Forests blanket the mountain slopes. Lakes, mostly artificial, reflect the pure color of the sky.

The Beaufortain region gradually attracts the eye of the walker embarking on a journey of wonderful hikesWith its gentle valleys, deep forests, the geometry of its alpine pastures, and the very particular way its mountains possess of being both powerful and welcoming, the mountains have lived alongside humankind for centuries without crushing them.

They live in villages that can be distinguished by their bell towers, sometimes at the bottom of the valley, sometimes clinging to the slopes, in the heart of the alpine pastures.

Let's go and discover them.

The villages of Beaufortain

Beaufort, a real village that lives all year round 

La discovery of Beaufortain It all starts in Beaufort. In this region, one could almost adopt the famous adage… “all roads seem to lead to… Beaufort!” They converge from all the small, isolated hamlets made up of wooden chaletsSome roads are busier and frequented by tourists, while others are used only by a few farmers and locals. Everyone can choose the kind of adventure they want to experience during their stay. in the Beaufortain.

A true mountain village, nestled at an altitude of 750 meters, Beaufort hosts a small market every Wednesday morning (8am-12pm) where you can discover all sorts of Savoyard delicacies, including, of course, the cheese that bears the same name. But to reduce Beaufort to its dairy production alone would be to forget its historical importance.

The village of Beaufort It stretches along the confluence of the Doron valleys. The old houses, narrow streets, and stone buildings are reminders that Beaufort was an important administrative and commercial center as early as the Middle Ages. Strolling through the center, one discovers typical Savoyard architecture: wooden balconies, massive roofs adapted to snowy winters, vaulted passageways, and old bourgeois houses, all built along sloping streets that can be slippery on snowy days.

The Church of Saint-Maxime It particularly deserves attention. Its square bell tower can be seen from afar. Behind its unassuming appearance lies a remarkable Baroque decoration, a testament to the artistic influence from Piedmont and neighboring Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Beaufortain region was profoundly marked by this exuberant religious art, which contrasted sharply with the harshness of the Alpine climate.

But Beaufort remains primarily associated with its cheese. It's impossible to cross the town without noticing the dairy cooperative, a true local institution. Here, Beaufort isn't a tourist product: it's a way of life. In summer, the herds move up to the mountain pastures; the cowbells ring out on the slopes; the cellars slowly fill with wheels of cheese matured for months.

From Beaufort, all the roads of the massif radiate outwards. Towards Arêches, Hauteluce, Les Saisies, Roselend and the Arly valley. The town acts as a threshold between inhabited mountains and high altitude.

Arêches, the Beaufort ski resort

Let's continue it discovery of Beaufortain The road to Arêches climbs immediately. It follows the contours of the land, then opens onto sunny plateaus where the first alpine chalets appear. The landscape becomes more vertical. The peaks draw closer. You can feel that you are entering a more mountainous part of the Beaufortain region.

Just a few kilometers from Beaufort, on a small plateau, Areches is a small family ski resort at an altitude of approximately 1000 meters.

Despite its moderate altitude, its geographical location makes it a resort with relatively good snow cover. The Beaufortain region receives ample rainfall, and the valley retains the cold well in winter, which protects the snowpack despite its lower altitude compared to... neighboring resorts of Tarentaise.

Arêches has something intensely alpine about it. The village is organized around its bell tower, but very quickly the houses spread out towards the neighbouring hamlets: Le Planay, Les Carroz, Le Praz, Boudin… Short, old names that seem to belong to the relief itself.

In winter, the roofs disappear under the snow. In summer, the meadows rise almost to the houses. The roads become narrower, sometimes steeper. Farms appear around a bend, often accompanied by an old stone basin where icy water still flows.

À ArechesThe mountain remains ever-present. The inhabitants live with it, not just beside it. Signs indicate hiking trails, pastoral areas, and alpine roads. The Grand Mont massif dominates the horizon like a permanent presence.

And then there's that particular light of the Beaufortain. A damp, shifting light, constantly changing with the clouds coming from Mont Blanc or the Tarentaise. Some mornings, the villages barely emerge from the mist; in the evening, the alpine pastures become almost golden.

In the surrounding area, magnificent ski touring excursions are possible, and in summer the Cormet de Roselend pass, towards the Tarentaise, with a view of one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the French Alps will delight you.

Hauteluce: the large valley opening towards Mont Blanc

From Beaufort, on the slope opposite the climb to Arêches, take the road towards Hauteluce.

The valley widens abruptly. The slopes become gentler, the alpine pastures more expansive. The church with its bulbous steeple appears in the distance, set in the middle of the meadows like an ancient landmark for travelers.

Hauteluce It possesses an unexpected elegance. The farms are larger, the hamlets more spread out. The houses often feature magnificent carved balconies and long wooden galleries where hay was dried.

Hauteluce retains a true Savoyard identity. The small oratories, baroque chapels and old chalets everywhere recall the historical depth of the massif.

The road that climbs the valley always seems to open onto something else: the Joly pass A veritable balcony overlooking the Montjoie valley (Les Contamines), with Mont Blanc just a stone's throw away, the vistas become immense. On certain winter days, when snow blankets the alpine pastures right up to the fences, the landscape takes on an almost Nordic feel. Almost directly below the village church steeple, the Col des Saisies connects the Beaufortain region to the Upper Arly Valley and from there to Haute-Savoie.

Les Saisies, chalets, forests and skiing for your holidays in Beaufortain

Let's continue our journey on the road to Les Saisies.

The resort occupies a vast open pass between Beaufortain and Val d'Arly. The space widens abruptly. The forests open onto long snow-covered clearings.

Here, the mountains seem gentler. Brighter, too. The view stretches far towards the Aravis range and Mont Charvet. From the road to Bisanne, Mont Blanc often appears in all its breadth. The wind blows freely across the plateaus.

Les Saisies They possess something very special in the French Alps: an almost Scandinavian atmosphere. The cross-country ski trails cross silent forests, open spaces where the chalets seem scattered in the snow.

In the evening, when the lights appear in the hamlets, the resort regains the warm atmosphere of a mountain village. Sometimes the bells of the snow groomers can be heard in the distance as the chimneys begin to smoke in the cold.

Finally, let's talk about sports. Les Saisies is a high-altitude resort, located on a mountain pass at over 1600 meters. Skiing takes place on slopes facing the Mont Blanc, you can go cross-country skiing in the forest on one of the largest French ski areas. The Saisies plateau is renowned for being perfectly snow-covered throughout the winter season. An Olympic site since 1992, it is a white paradise. This very spread-out village with large chalets modern wooden structures allow skiing on the ski area of theDiamond SpaceOverlooking the Val d'Arly: slopes accessible to all, without major difficulties. A large, sunny area with excellent snow cover and breathtaking scenery. In summer, you can escape the heat of the plains on trails that wind along wooded ridges with the Mont Blanc, Beaufortain, and Aravis mountain ranges as a backdrop. A feast for the eyes.

The villages along the Doron river towards Albertville

Villard-sur-Doron: the discreet gateway between the inhabited valley and the Saisies mountains

Villard-sur-Doron could almost go unnoticed if one were to pass through the Beaufortain region too quickly. And yet, this village plays a vital role in the geography of the massif. Nestled on the sunny side of the valley, at the crossroads of roads leading up to the alpine pastures and mountain passes, it acts as a gentle transition between the agricultural Beaufortain and the touristy mountains of the high plateaus. The pointed steeple of its church gleams in the sun and catches the eye.

Leaving the main road that crosses the Beaufortain, we gradually climb above the Doron. The houses appear in small groups, surrounded by sloping meadows where, in summer, we can still see herds of Tarine cows. Villard-sur-Doron It doesn't possess the dramatic effect of a hilltop village or mountain resort; its charm comes precisely from this tranquil continuity between houses, pastures, and forest. Here, the villages seem to have grown naturally with the slope.

The heart of the village retains a deeply Savoyard atmosphere Old houses with thick facades, balconies laden with wood stacked for winter, small streams fed by icy water flowing directly from the mountains. The church discreetly overlooks the whole, a reminder of the historical importance of these villages in a valley long devoted to agriculture and livestock farming.

Villard-sur-Doron is also a lively transit point. From the village, roads climb towards Les Saisies, passing through Bisanne 1500This gradual ascent is one of the most beautiful ways to understand the geography of the massif: you gently leave the inhabited valley to reach the vast high-altitude pastoral areas.

Queige: the discreet balcony of the Beaufortain

Finally, heading back towards the entrance of the massif, the road to Queige takes on a completely different atmosphere. Here, the Beaufortain becomes more wooded, more secluded. The village stretches out on a small natural promontory overlooking the valley.

Queige It possesses a quiet charm. Less spectacular than Arêches or Les Saisies, the village nevertheless gives the impression of an older, more tranquil Beaufortain region. The small hilltop hamlets tell the story of a life long organized around livestock farming and the forest.

The secondary roads that climb towards the heights cross clearings where a few isolated farms suddenly appear, and very dense woods, like the Molliessoulaz forestThe Col de la Forclaz (yet another one!) at 871 meters allows you to descend towards Ugine without going through Albertville. The mountains seem closer, more intimate. A large plain stretches out at the foot of the village, often shrouded in a cold mist, in the shadow of the wooded and steep mountains. One last bend and the road descends gently towards Albertville by dominating, from Venthon, the Val d'Arly.

The heritage of the Beaufortain region: Baroque churches and wooden chalets

Baroque: the artistic surprise of the Savoyard mountains

The Beaufortain region hides a surprising artistic heritage behind its pastoral landscapes. One doesn't necessarily expect to discover such a rich artistic heritage in a mountain range as rural and pastoral as the Beaufortain. Baroque heritage of such richnessAnd yet, behind the unassuming facades of the churches, the villages sometimes conceal veritable theaters of light. In the 17th and 18th centuries, when Savoy still belonged to the States of Piedmont-Sardinia, the Beaufortain It experienced a period of prosperity linked to livestock farming, trade and agropastoralism. Village communities then invested in their churches with an astonishing ambition: to show, even in the heart of isolated valleys, a form of spiritual grandeur.

It's difficult to say which is the most beautiful. The Baroque decorations of the churches in Hauteluce, Beaufort, and Queige are as surprising as they are unexpected. But Villard-sur-Doron and Arêches also boast remarkable Baroque ensembles. This contrast between exterior simplicity and interior richness leaves a lasting impression on the visitor.

The interiors literally explode with color and gilding. Twisted columns, sculpted altarpieces, angels suspended in the woodwork, painted faux marble: Alpine Baroque art here plays on emotion and contrast. Outside, the climate is harsh, the winters long, the mountain austere; inside, everything becomes warmth, light, and movement.

The church Saint-Jacques-d'Assyrie d'Hauteluce It is spectacular. Its tall bell tower dominates the meadows like a beacon in the middle of the alpine pastures. The frescoes on the facade already set the tone. When you push open the door, the effect is immediate: your gaze is drawn to the gilding, the sculpted details, the painted ceilings. Beaufort, the Saint-Maxime church It plays a more balanced tune, blending Savoyard simplicity with decorative richness. The gilding of the altarpiece mingles with the pastel pink hues of the walls for a veritable Baroque symphony. Queige, the interior of the Church of Saint Agatha is particularly decorated, with ceilings where blue blends with cream and an extremely bright altarpiece.

But this heritage is not limited to churches. In the hamlets, the small chapels also tell the story of a deeply spiritual mountain. They served as a moral as well as a religious refuge in a society where avalanches, harsh winters, and isolation were part of everyday life.

Chalets and rural heritage: the deep identity of the Beaufortain

The Beaufortain region is also a mountain range of chalets. Not the postcard chalets built for tourists, but real agricultural buildings designed to survive the winters.

In the alpine pastures around the Col du Pré, Lac de Saint-Guérin or Roselend, the old chalets still tell the story of the summer transhumance. Built of stone and wood, often very low to resist the wind, they blend perfectly into the slopes.

In summer, some of these areas remain in use for making Beaufort cheese from the mountains. The smells of warm milk, hay, and damp wood then give the mountain range a profoundly vibrant atmosphere.

The first detail that strikes you is the proportions. chalets of the Beaufortain They appear massive, almost heavy. The stone foundations serve to anchor the building to the slope and to resist moisture. Above, the wooden floors of larch or spruce age slowly under the sun and snow, taking on that brown-black color so characteristic of the Savoy Alps.

The roofs slope very low. In winter, they must support tons of snow. The wide overhangs protect the facades and create covered spaces where farm equipment or firewood were once stored. The balconies, however, are not decorative: they were used to dry hay, grain, or laundry. Even today, in summer, geraniums often spill over the carved railings, adding an unexpected touch of softness to these robust structures.

Inside, the traditional cottage The house was organized around animal and human warmth. On the ground floor lived the animals, mainly Tarine and Abondance cows. Their heat naturally rose to the living quarters above. People lived in cramped conditions, in low-ceilinged spaces, with wood everywhere: creaking floorboards, the smell of stale smoke, beams blackened by decades.

In the Beaufortain region, the chalets also tell the story of the "remues" system. Families didn't stay in the same place all year round. They moved up the mountain pastures gradually with their herds throughout the summer, using different chalets located according to the altitude of the grazing lands. This local transhumance shaped the landscape: the hamlets are not laid out randomly, but follow the logic of the seasons and the route taken by the animals to the high pastures.

Beaufort cheese and gastronomy: eating the mountains

The Beaufortain region can also be understood through taste. Here, gastronomy is not a tourist attraction: it is directly born from the landscape, the climate and the pastoral life.

Le Beaufort cheese It remains, of course, the king of the mountain range. Produced with the milk of Tarine and Abondance cows, it accompanies every stage of alpine life. In summer, the herds ascend to the high pastures where more than a hundred different plant species flavor the milk. In some mountain chalets, the cheese making It is still done almost as it used to be. The milk is heated in large copper vats, steam fills the chalet, the gestures remain precise, repeated for generations.

Le Beaufort d'Alpage It then possesses something more complex: notes of hazelnut, dried flowers, sometimes almost fruity. In the cellars of the Beaufort cooperative, the wheels of cheese are lined up like a mountain library.

But the Beaufortain cuisine It doesn't stop at melted cheese. Crozets au gratin with Beaufort cheese, sweet and savory farçons, smoked diots, thick vegetable soups and polenta tell the story of a cuisine designed to withstand winter.

And then there are the mountain huts and inns. A fondue enjoyed overlooking Lake Roselend, a blueberry tart after a hike, a porcini mushroom omelet in an alpine chalet…

The Beaufortain: la tamed mountain

The lakes of Beaufortain: mirrors of the Savoyard sky

In the Beaufortain region, water is everywhere. It flows down from the snowfields, crosses the alpine pastures, collects in the streams before disappearing at the bottom of the valleys. And in the 20th century, this water changed the destiny of the mountain range.

When we arrive in front Lake RoselendThe shock is almost surreal. At 1557 meters altitude, the dam rises up in a vast landscape of pastures, dark peaks, and open sky. The turquoise water seems artificial, its color contrasting sharply with the black hills of the Beaufortain region, which are nevertheless covered in meadows up to high altitudes. Behind the apparent calm of the lake, however, lies a gigantic human and industrial undertaking.

In the 1950s, EDF decided to exploit the hydroelectric potential of the Beaufortain massif. The Beaufortain region then became a vast construction site. Roselend damCommissioned in 1962, the dam, along with Saint-Guérin and La Gittaz, forms one of the largest hydroelectric complexes in the French Alps. The valleys changed dramatically. Alpine pastures were submerged, hamlets disappeared, and roads were relocated. But this epic undertaking also brought jobs and profoundly modernized the region.

Even today, Roselend retains a monumental quality. The dam itself, an immense concrete curve nearly 150 meters high, is as impressive as the surrounding landscape. The small chapel of Roselend, rebuilt on the lake's edge, seems almost unreal in the face of this vast expanse of water and mountain peaks.

Le Saint-Guérin lake It has a different atmosphere. More intimate, more secluded, it appears at the end of a narrow road lined with forests. Its famous suspension bridge gently vibrates as you cross above the dark water. Families stroll slowly across it while the mountain peaks are reflected in the still lake.

Further on, the Gittaz and Girotte valleys reveal a wilder side of the Beaufortain region. There, the roads become narrower, the dams more secluded, and the landscapes almost Nordic on certain autumn mornings. Girotte lake With its steeply sloping banks, it resembles an eye turned towards the sky, in whose iris Mont Blanc is reflected. Lake GittazLocated very close to Lake Roselend, it has the feel of a high-altitude lake, calm and peaceful, surrounded by green mountains. A beautiful hike connects the two lakes.

Winter sports: a mountain range with many faces

Alpine skiing and Nordic skiing: two ways to experience the mountains

The Beaufortain region possesses a rare characteristic in the French Alps: it combines, within the same mountain range, very mountainous alpine skiing and one of the most beautiful Nordic skiing areas in FranceHere, ski resorts are not just looking for performance or the quantity of ski lifts. They extend the geography of the mountain range, its light and its particular way of inhabiting the mountains.

Arêches-Beaufort: Skiing on wild slopes

In Arêches-Beaufort, skiing retains a profoundly alpine character. The ski area ranges from approximately 1080 meters in the village of Planay to over 2320 meters at the summit of Grand Mont, a large snow pyramid that dominates the entire central Beaufortain region.

The ski area boasts approximately 50 kilometers of marked trails, served by around fifteen ski lifts. But numbers only tell part of the story. What truly stands out here is the terrain. The trails follow the natural contours of the mountain: long descents through the forest towards Le Planay, wide open slopes beneath the Grand Mont, and more technical couloirs where the snow often remains cold and light.

Areches is a resort popular with experienced skiers because it has retained a certain raw character. The off-piste routes are numerous and renowned. The sector of Grand MontIn particular, it has long attracted ski touring and freeriding enthusiasts thanks to its steep slopes, natural valleys, and often abundant snowfall. Here, the focus is still much on the mountains, snow conditions, and routes, rather than simply "consuming" skiing.

This skiing culture also explains why Arêches has become one of the international hotspots for ski mountaineering. Every year, the famous Pierre Menta race transforms the slopes of Beaufortain into a vast sporting theatre, where the world's best specialists tackle elevation changes, ridges and technical descents in a unique atmosphere.

But Arêches isn't just about challenging skiing. The intermediate areas also offer beautiful, accessible red and blue runs, often winding through fir trees, with that rare feeling of skiing in a still-inhabited mountain environment. Alpine chalets regularly appear around a bend in the trail, a reminder that these slopes remain primarily pastoral lands in the summer.

Les Saisies: the grand balcony of Mont Blanc

Conversely, Les Saisies has developed a more open, brighter, and family-friendly approach to skiing. The resort is situated on a vast mountain pass at an altitude of approximately 1650 meters, between Beaufortain and Val d'Arly, in a much more open environment.

The Saisies ski area itself has approximately 77 kilometers of slopes, but it is primarily part of the vast ski area of ​​theDiamond Spacewhich links several resorts between Savoie and Haute-Savoie: Crest-Voland, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, Flumet, Praz-sur-Arly and Hauteluce. The whole represents nearly 192 kilometers of interconnected ski slopes.

The skiing there is smoother and more accessible to families and intermediate skiers. ski slopes of Les Saisies They wind through spruce forests and then regularly open onto large panoramic clearings. And everywhere, almost constantly, the Mont Blanc massif appears. Few resorts offer such a permanent presence of the "roof of the Alps" while skiing.

Les Saisies is also renowned for the quality of its snow cover. Despite a relatively moderate altitude for the French Alps, the resort benefits from a unique climate: weather systems coming from the west often stall over the Beaufortain massif, bringing abundant snowfall. This phenomenon has earned the area the nickname "the snow granary of Savoy".

The skiing atmosphere here is different from Arêches. Gentler. More contemplative, too. You often ski in very clear light, with sweeping views of the Aravis, Beaufortain, and Mont Blanc ranges. Some areas almost give the impression of gliding across suspended plateaus.

Hauteluce – Les Contamines: skiing between Beaufortain and Mont Blanc

The Beaufortain region also has a third skiable area, often less known but particularly spectacular: the link between Hauteluce and Les Contamines-Montjoie.

Deep in the Dorinet valley, just below the Girotte reservoir and near the hydroelectric plant, 5km from Hauteluce, lies the small resort of Val Joly. It provides access via a chairlift to Contamines-Montjoie ski area via the Ruelle sector and then the Col du Joly. This connection opens up a vast ski area facing the Mont Blanc massif and the high peaks of the Contamines nature reserve.

The Les Contamines–Hauteluce ski area comprises approximately 120 kilometers of slopes between 1200 and nearly 2500 meters in altitude. The atmosphere here is very different from Les Saisies. The terrain becomes more rugged, more mountainous, with long runs that plunge into forests or cross wide open valleys beneath the peaks.

The sector Joly pass It is one of the great viewpoints of the French Alps. In good weather, the view extends from Mont Blanc to the Aravis mountains, passing by the snow-capped peaks of the Beaufortain. Some slopes almost give the impression of skiing suspended between two mountain ranges.

In winter, Hauteluce retains the atmosphere of a living agricultural village. The snow-covered farms, baroque chapels and old chalets constantly remind you that these ski areas remain, above all, territories inhabited all year round.

Nordic skiing: the Savoyard Scandinavia

But it is perhaps in Nordic skiing that the Beaufortain reveals its most unique identity. The landscape immediately explains this reputation. Snow-covered plateaus alternate with deep, silent forests where the snow absorbs all sounds. Then suddenly the trees part and the gaze plunges towards Mont Blanc or the valleys of the Beaufortain. On certain winter mornings, when the fog remains trapped in the valleys and the sun illuminates the high plateaus, the atmosphere becomes almost Scandinavian.

Le Nordic Ski Here, it's not just about sport. It becomes a way of inhabiting the landscape. The routes cross open spaces, skirt isolated chalets, and pass near alpine pastures buried under several meters of snow. You move through a silent, slow-moving mountain, where the rhythm of your breath eventually replaces that of the resort.

Les Saisies is home to one of the largest Nordic ski areas in France, with approximately 120 kilometers of marked trailsIt is no coincidence that the resort hosted several events of the 1992 Albertville Olympic Games, including cross-country skiing and biathlon.

The Pierra Menta, between sport and legend

It's impossible to talk about the Beaufortain region without mentioning the Pierra Menta. This legendary ski mountaineering race, created in 1986, attracts the world's best athletes every year.

The name comes from the spectacular rocky spire of the Pierra Menta, an emblematic peak of the massif reaching 2714 meters.

This immense rocky tooth suddenly rises above the alpine pastures and lakes, like a stone ship frozen in the sky. At 2714 meters high, it impresses less by its altitude than by its silhouette: a vertical monolith of nearly 150 meters, perched on the summit of a ridge.

It is often revealed gradually, around a bend in a valley, above Lake Roselend, or from the paths leading to the Presset refuge. And each time, it seems unreal. The evening light further enhances this impression: the dark rock becomes almost red, while the alpine pastures around it darken.

The Pierra Menta is known above all for its sports legendSince 1986, it has lent its name to the most famous ski mountaineering race in the world. For four days, the best international athletes traverse the Beaufortain mountain range in a breathtaking succession of ascents and descents. The total elevation gain often exceeds 10,000 meters. The course changes depending on the snow conditions, but it always maintains the same philosophy: total immersion in the winter mountains.

The magic of the " Pierra Menta "It's not just about performance. It's mainly about the atmosphere. Thousands of spectators climb the ridges on skis or on foot to cheer on the runners. Cowbells ring out in the snow. The volunteers of the Beaufortain region transform the race into a huge alpine festival."

Rarely has a race so closely resembled its territory: tough, generous, spectacular and profoundly human.

Roads and mountain passes: crossing the Beaufortain mountains

In the Beaufortain region, the roads follow ancient transhumance routes, trade routes, and military or pastoral itineraries that once connected valleys isolated for long periods during the winter. Even today, driving in the massif often gives the impression of traveling through an ancient landscape, where each mountain pass marks a change of world.

So the Saisies Pass or Forclaz pass They lead from the Beaufortain to the Val d'Arly, bypassing Albertville. We have already mentioned these two passes in previous paragraphs. They remain open year-round, weather permitting.

Le Joly passThis pass, however, is only open in summer, and the road ends at the summit. It's more of a destination than a mountain pass to cross. Upon arrival, the landscape opens up to the Mont Blanc massif. The alpine pastures become vast, almost undulating. In summer, herds still graze on the slopes, and the chalets seem tiny against the vastness of the landscape. When the evening light illuminates Mont Blanc on the horizon, one understands why this area has long attracted painters, photographers, and hikers.

Le Joly pass It too has an ancient history. Before modern roads, these passages facilitated trade between the Beaufortain, Val d'Arly, and Contamines valleys. Inhabitants traveled from one valley to another on foot, with livestock, goods, or mail. Even today, sections of the old paths remain visible beneath pastoral tracks or hiking trails.

Le Col du PréFor its part, it offers one of the most famous panoramas of Lake Roselend. The climb from Arêches is narrow, winding, and sometimes impressive when two vehicles pass each other. Then suddenly, at the summit, the view plunges down to the turquoise dam and the dark peaks of the Roc du Vent. Few places in the French Alps give such an impression of a pastoral and mineral landscape all at once. You can continue along the path, cross the dam, and follow the lake towards the Cormet de Roselend.

Le Cormet de RoselendPerched at an altitude of 1968 meters, the road connects the Beaufortain and Tarentaise valleys during its seasonal opening in summer (from late May to mid-October). From Beaufort, the road gradually ascends the valley through a succession of landscapes that seem to encapsulate the entire Beaufortain region: farming villages, dark forests, isolated chalets, and then vast open alpine pastures facing the peaks. After the Roselend dam, the mountain takes on a different dimension. The slopes become more mineral, the terrain widens, and the road seems literally suspended between sky, water, and rock.

The word Cormet The name itself evokes the old Savoyard dialect: it refers to a small mountain pass, a route used for centuries by flocks and the inhabitants of the massif. Long before cars and cyclists, shepherds were already crossing Roselend to reach the markets and pastures of the Tarentaise Valley. The pass was for a long time an essential route between Beaufortain and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, even though the crossings remained difficult for much of the year.

Today, the Cormet de Roselend is an iconic feature of Alpine cycling. The Tour de France made it famous with its long, steady climbs, vast landscapes, and sometimes brutal weather conditions. Some summers, the landscape can change from brilliant sunshine to thick fog rolling in from the peaks within just a few kilometers. Cyclists often describe Roselend as a "living" pass, unpredictable and deeply mountainous.

 Activities not to be missed during your vacation in Beaufortain

• the visit to the Dairy Cooperative  de Beaufort to learn all about the production and tasting of the local cheese, Beaufort.
• Understand how the dams by going to the one at La Girotte in Hauteluce
• Take in the sights Roselend Lake or that of Saint Guérin
• Slide on the slopes of cross-country skiing which hosted the Albertville Olympic Games in 1992 in Les Saisies.
• A little further on, visit the old medieval town from Conflans, on the heights of Albertville.
• Discover  cultural heritage. from the Beaufortain valleys and life in days gone by at the Hauteluce Ecomuseum.

Discovering Beaufortain using webcams

(click on the name of the village)

• Hauteluce : a very pretty view of the village of Hauteluce
• Les Saisies: the station seen from Mont Bisanne with the Mont Blanc Massif in the background
• Areches-Beaufort: The Planay sector, at the bottom of the slopes at 1200m.
• Areches-Beaufort: the Cuvy sector at 1700m and the view of Mont Blanc

How to get to the Beaufortain region?

The Beaufortain often gives the impression of a preserved and isolated mountain range, yet it remains relatively accessible from the major Alpine valleys. It is precisely this contrast that surprises the traveler: in just a few dozen kilometers, one goes from the main Savoyard transport routes to a deeply pastoral mountain landscape, made up of villages, alpine pastures, and mountain passes.

The true Albertville is the gateway to the massif.The town, located at the confluence of the Isère and Arly rivers, marks the transition between the major Alpine valleys and the Beaufortain mountains. It is easily accessible by train thanks to direct TGV connections from Parisbut also since LyonChambéry or Annecy. In winter, during school holidays, several direct TGV trains even allow you to reach Albertville from Paris in approximately 4 hours 30 minutes.

From Albertville, the Beaufortain road begins almost immediately. First, follow the Doron valley towards Beaufort on the D925. The terrain gradually levels out, the forests become more extensive, and the villages take on a more mountainous character. The journey to Beaufort takes approximately 25 kilometers and about thirty minutes.

From Beaufort, the roads then branch off like valley branches:

• towards Arêches-Beaufort and Le Planay to the southeast;
• towards Les Saisies and Hauteluce to the north;
• towards the Cormet de Roselend and the Tarentaise to the east.

In winter, road access to the villages generally remains good thanks to regular snow removal, although special equipment may become mandatory during heavy snowfall. The roads to Les Saisies and Arêches sometimes climb rapidly, with more winding sections approaching the resorts. The Joly, Pré, and Cormet de Roselend passes are closed until the end of May.

For travelers without a car, several regional bus lines provide access to the mountains from Albertville. The regional network Cars Savoie Region It serves, in particular, Beaufort, Arêches, Villard-sur-Doron and Les Saisies. In winter, seasonal shuttles increase connections to the ski resorts, especially on weekends and during school holidays.

Les Saisies also has regular bus connections to Albertville station, synchronized with some train services. Once there, local shuttles often provide transport between the different sectors of the ski area or between the villages.

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