Culture, heritage and guided tours
Explore the hilltop hamlets and chapels of Montvalezan, a peaceful route through the heart of Savoyard heritage.
A route between hilltop hamlets and sacred heritage sites
The municipality of Montvalezan, in Haute-Tarentaise, spreads its 44 hamlets across a sun-drenched southern slope, between 850 and 2,900 metres above sea level. With 725 year-round residents and more than 13,000 tourist beds, this area lives to the rhythm of the seasons and boasts an unexpected wealth of heritage. Among its treasures are its traditional villages and chapels, silent witnesses to a life of faith, mountain dwellers and tradition.
The municipality of Montvalezan, in Haute-Tarentaise, spreads its 44 hamlets across a sun-drenched southern slope, between 850 and 2,900 metres above sea level. With 725 year-round residents and more than 13,000 tourist beds, this area lives to the rhythm of the seasons and boasts an unexpected wealth of heritage. Among its treasures are its traditional villages and chapels, silent witnesses to a life of faith, mountain dwellers and tradition.
The hamlets of Montvalezan
Wood, stone and slate. These three words sum up the spirit of the hamlets of Montvalezan. Perched on plateaus or clinging to the slopes, the villages huddle around their rustic chapels, as if to protect each other from the wind and weather. Many of the houses, formerly used for farming, have been carefully renovated. Today, they welcome permanent residents, seasonal workers and visitors, while preserving the traditional Savoyard architecture.
Chapels: a living spiritual heritage
Montvalezan is home to 14 chapels, all dedicated to a patron saint. These buildings, often born out of gratitude or prayer from a village, tell the story of another way of life in the mountains: humble, rooted, and united. Every stone laid, every bell tower erected speaks of faith and pride. Even today, these chapels continue to punctuate life in the hamlets.
The Field: Our Lady of Fourvière
- La Rochette: Our Lady of Mercy
- Le Griotteray: Saint Joseph
- Le Solliet: Saint Barbara
- Le Villaret: Saint Andrew
- Le Crey: Our Lady of Joy
- Les Moulins: Saint Martin
- Le Mousselard: Saint Bartholomew
- Les Laix: Saint Roch
- Le Châtelard: Saint Alexis and Saint Michel
- La Combaz: Saint Jacques
- Hauteville: Sainte Anne
- La Rosière: Sainte Jeanne d’Arc.
Montvalezan is home to 14 chapels, all dedicated to a patron saint. These buildings, often born out of gratitude or prayer from a village, tell the story of another way of life in the mountains: humble, rooted, and united. Every stone laid, every bell tower erected speaks of faith and pride. Even today, these chapels continue to punctuate life in the hamlets.
The Field: Our Lady of Fourvière
- La Rochette: Our Lady of Mercy
- Le Griotteray: Saint Joseph
- Le Solliet: Saint Barbara
- Le Villaret: Saint Andrew
- Le Crey: Our Lady of Joy
- Les Moulins: Saint Martin
- Le Mousselard: Saint Bartholomew
- Les Laix: Saint Roch
- Le Châtelard: Saint Alexis and Saint Michel
- La Combaz: Saint Jacques
- Hauteville: Sainte Anne
- La Rosière: Sainte Jeanne d’Arc.
Favourite spot: the Châtelard chapel
Perched at an altitude of 1,500 metres on a spur overlooking the Haute-Tarentaise, the Châtelard Chapel stands guard. Renovated in 1869 and restored after the bombings of 1944, it houses the oldest bell in the commune, dating from 1559. Even today, the Angelus rings out as a link between generations.
Thanks to the commitment of the Association des Chapelles, created in 1993, and the help of numerous volunteers, this living heritage continues to shine.
A stroll past the bell towers
Exploring the circuit of villages and chapels reveals another side of La Rosière. A mountain that is inhabited, recounted and passed on. Let yourself be guided by the slate roofs and the sound of bells. Every path is an encounter.