Following the flow of hydroelectricity in La Coche

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All sorts of animals live on this mini-farm - hens, geese, pigs, goats and rabbits ... Come and learn more about how they are reared in the mountain environment. You can even go for a donkey ride and take away some soap made from the milk of a jenny (female donkey). An ideal family outing! Open in summer.Price: €5. Free for under 3s. Admission included in the Pass'Aventure.Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Valmo Bourricot, 73260, LES AVANCHERS VALMORELTel: +33 (0)6.81.17.11.51 / +33 (0)6.77.61.49.65www.valmorel-ane.fr/la-mini-ferme-de-valmo-bourricot/

Do make a point of visiting this little farm where Shetland ponies and Comtois draft horses are reared, as you can enjoy a ride on one of them while you're there!Plan Chevron - La Charmette 73260 Les Avanchers-Valmorel

Admire the stunning panoramic view over the Morel Valley and the whole of La Lauzière mountain range from this sweeping grassland dotted with picturesque chalets!

In Savoyard dialect, bachal means a basin that is used as a trough or washing point. This is a lovely place to stop for a picnic with a wonderful view over the La Lauzière mountain range before you. It also lies along an easygoing circular walking route that the whole family can enjoy - "Les Bachals": Takes: 2.5 hours / Distance: 5km / Elevation gain: 360m

For the best view, head a bit further down the road. There is a picnic table and from there a lovely view out towards La Lauzière, Les Bauges, Tournette, Aravis, Beaufortain, Mont Blanc, Alpes Grées and the lower and upper Tarentaise Valley towards the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard...with Aigueblanche below.

This route culminates at the impressive La Coche dam, which is 33 metres high. Its major reservoir is supplied by 28km worth of galleries which capture the affluents of the Isère; water intake is particularly high during snowmelt season. The dam is connected to the lower Aigueblanche reservoir and La Coche hydroelectric power plant, according to the innovative principle of a STEP, which stands for Pumped Energy Transfer Station. The principle is straightforward: to generate electricity, the water from the lake upstream (La Coche) is channelled through turbines then delivered to another lake downstream (Aigueblanche). In low water periods, the water is pumped back up to the reservoir upstream thanks to reversible turbines. Potential energy reserves are thus re-established, which can be harnessed at any time to meet peaks in consumption.The new power plant, fitted with a Pelton wheel, the most powerful turbine in France, which was inaugurated in 2019, can increase its power by 25%. It has an annual output of about 100 GWh, the equivalent of 265,000 inhabitants' energy consumption (i.e. covering more than 60% of Savoie's population).