Montée cyclo du Col du Pré

Along with the dams of Gittaz and Saint Guérin, the Roselend Dam feeds the hydroelectric plant of La Bâthie. Located in the heart of the mountain pastures, near Mont Blanc, it is a beautiful site for fishing and hiking. This is the 4th highest dam in France.Built between 1955 and 1962, it required 942, 368m3 of concrete poured at a daily rate of 1,500 to 2,000m3. Arch-gravity structure and buttress type dam (150m high, length 804m). Surface of the reservoir: 320 hectares. Depth: 130m. Volume of the reservoir: 187 million m3. 2,600 workers worked day and night on the site in harsh conditions. The Ste Marie Madeleine Chapel was rebuilt on the shore of the lake before the impoundment of the dam. The Roselend hamlet was submerged on May 6th, 1960, and 15 of the 54 pastures were swallowed up. The Route des Grandes Alpes crosses this magnificent alpine site to join the Tarentaise valley (excluding during heavy snow, when the road is very narrow). This dam holds a reserve of renewable energy equivalent to 500 million Kwh.

The Baroque Church of Saint Maxime is located in the middle of the oldest district of Beaufort: Le Châtelard. Securely attached to the rock, the church is dominated by a huge square tower. Its facades contrast with the interior decoration.From the 17th century, the population of Beaufort and surrounding hamlets were actively involved in the reconstruction of the church, which ended in the 19th century. The first church dated back to 1171. The present church with its basilica shape comprises of a large rectangular space, which includes the central nave, side aisles and choir, which is also rectangular. The vaults of the nave are leaning on a series of cross section pillars separating the aisles and supporting the galleries. The pulpit, commissioned in 1720 to Jacques Clérant, a renowned sculptor from Moûtiers, was installed in 1722. During the revolution, the rioters tried in vain to demolish the bell tower: if the steeple was destroyed, the walls were saved by the local population. Inside the church, the sumptuous decoration highlights religious themes; they recount the life of the Virgin Mary, Christ and the Saints, and represent the great stories of the Bible. Everything was done to accommodate, dazzle, amaze, convince and reassure the faithful. Masses are held here regularly.

The Church of St. John the Baptist of Arêches is a fine homogeneous example of Savoyard Baroque art and deserves a visit. Basilica- shaped, with a particularly bright altarpiece, the interior of the church creates a surprising contrast with the exterior.The main structure of the church was completed in 1829; its rich and sumptuous interior decoration from Italy took several years to complete. The bulbous steeple, traditional in Savoie, was built around the same time. One must note the importance of images that gave the faithful easy access to the Bible, the life of the Virgin, Christ and the Saints who were seen as intermediaries of God.

The village of Boudin is the highest of the many hamlets of the Beaufort community. This village is so remarkable that it has been classified as a ‘protected site’ by the Academy of Fine Arts since 1943 and some of its chalets are registered in the heritage inventory.When you observe the village from downstream, you realize that it is located on a steep slope between 1,230m and 1,380m. The chalets are grouped and layered into horizontal rows, they all enjoy the sun and a beautiful view of the valley. There are about 5-6 rows of chalets. In the past, hamlets in the Beaufort area were very isolated, especially in winter. Life was organized around several gathering points: the trough, the bread oven, the school and the chapel. Built in 1630, the Saint Jacques chapel was probably erected to replace an older wood version. Inhabitants were involved in its construction and decoration, providing money, materials and labour. It was recently restored and can be visited. A fire destroyed three beautiful chalets in December 2010. They have been reconstructed in accordance with the original architecture.

Heritage Discovery walk : Follow, on the map provided by the tourist office, the itinerary that includes 18 signs. The departure is just in front of the fountain, Avenue du Capitaine Bulle, next to the Tourist Office.