Walk to La Duis

The abandonment of agropastoral activity also affects the habitat. Whether conserved or not by the original families, this built heritage is subject to regulatory measures aimed at preserving its original appearance, in the absence of any occupant to fulfil the role. These measures do not prevent the disappearance of suspended drying balconies for solarium terraced balconies, and the appearance of bays, shutters or double roofs to meet modern standards of comfort.

Wood became a rare commodity in Bonneval-sur-Arc, and so the builders of yesterday used the most abundant resource in this high valley - the stone. Walls, lintels, roofing, drinking troughs and even intermediate floors were mounted in lauze! Thanks to a wise restoration, the hamlet of l´Écot blends harmoniously into this landscape. Walk through the narrow streets and imagine how life once was when the hamlet was populated all year by men and their animals...

These hay meadows are vital for farmers, allowing them to provide for their animals during the winter. The mowing promotes biodiversity and makes these meadows colourful in July. How many different species can you identify?

Barns can be spotted along the entire route up to Duis, which were previously used to store hay. Their architecture is particular to the Haute-Maurienne: the locals used the materials most available locally such as stone. This explains the dry stone walls as well as the lauze roofs. Large openings made it easy to store the hay, while other smaller openings allowed it to be aired. The upper parts of the barns and chalets are often semi-buried to merge into the slope and thus guard against winter avalanches.

A genuine witness to this bygone rural engineering, the channels dug into the slopes would irrigate the hay meadows to promote their yield. Ÿou will be able to see them up the road.

Here you are at the end of your journey! The Arc begins its course a little higher up in the glacier that you will perceive under the peaks of Levanna, before crossing the whole Maurienne and plunging into the Isère... 120 km lower!