La Pierre aux Pieds

Built in stone with lauze roofing, this hamlet testifies to the traditional architecture of Haute-Maurienne. It is the highest hamlet in the town. It is located on an enormous landslide resulting from the collapse of a portion of the Pointe des Pignes on the left bank of the Arc (12,000 to 15,000 years BC). Once composed of barns and a few chalets used in summer, it is currently inhabited annually by two people. It was in 1972 that an alternative route was created to allow easier access to Bessans by bypassing the hamlet.

The mosaic of environments making up the first hectometres of the route (groves, moors, fallow meadows) welcomes a rich avifauna. Ÿou will move on to the kingdom of the sparrows so stay alert (pair of binoculars recommended). In spring, you may even come into contact with two species of galliform on these slopes: the rock partridge (Alectoris graeca) and the black grouse (Tetrao tetrix).

"The vestiges of a bygone past where these slopes were still grazed and / or mown, these buildings deserve a small pit stop to admire their dry stones, lauze roofs, wooden lintels, columns and frameworks and ""tsardzou"" (a sloping ledge in front of the barn for loading and unloading hay). A little higher up, to the left of the path, two isolated barns display two ancient chronograms (engraved stones) which date from 1624 and 1690."

Some chalets are still used today. One of the buildings is distinctive for its façade on which a sundial has been painted in lime.

Located at 2,290 m in altitude at Fesse d´en haut, it was built in 1876 on the site of a very ancient oratory. Partially destroyed by an avalanche, it was rebuilt in 1932. Saint-Antoine is the patron saint of mule-drivers. The chapel now serves to illustrate the natural heritage.

Vallonbrun is one of the three great alpine areas of the Lanslevillard municipal area. The GAEC of Vallonbrun takes its cows up there (tarentaise and abondance breeds) in summer. There is no cheese making here in the alpine pastures: milk is taken down every morning to the Val Cenis-Vanoise dairy cooperative, located in Lanslebourg, where it is used mainly to produce Beaufort (PDO). During the summer grazing period, an ovine herd (about 800 animals) grazes on the highest slopes under the stones and the cliffs. The sheep are raised for meat (lamb production in particular), there is no production of milk or cheese.

This refuge, originally an alpine chalet, has been converted and renovated. These are solar panels that provide the energy necessary for the building. This 27-place refuge, managed by the National Park, is looked after by Frédéric Étiévant (Refuge Tel: 04 79 05 93 93)

The large birds of prey love this area Open your eyes and you may be lucky enough to see the magnificent sailing ship that is the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) and the black vulture (Aegypius monachus) come to summer.

"Classified as an ""historical monument"" in 1911, the Pierre aux Pieds is the most imposing of the engraved rocks of Haute-Maurienne. This shiny block of schist has 82 hollow feet (rather small), of which 33 are pairs and about 50 cupules. It is estimated that these engravings would have been made during Protohistory (1,800 to 15 BC). Other inscriptions and a sword were later added. There is no certainty as to the meaning of these engravings. A number of theories have been put forward but the mystery remains."

"The area of ""La Pierre aux Pieds"" is the outlook of choice to gaze upon the Col du Mont-Cenis and the many surrounding peaks (in particular: Grand Roc Noir, Pointe de Ronce, Pointe de Charbonnel and Albaron)"