In search of the Fort du Truc garrison

The cooperative in Bourg Saint Maurice brings together 52 producers who are wholeheartedly committed to making AOP (protected designation of origin) Beaufort cheese.One of the Cooperative’s buildings is entirely given over to showcasing this outstanding cheese with an exhibition area, shop and tasting area. You’ll gain an insight into the long-standing history of this cheese. A few dates at a glance: Back in Roman times, Pliny praised the different cheeses from Tarentaise and extolled the quality of the dairy cows. In the 19th century, agriculture and livestock rearing were still the main sources of livelihood for communities in the Haute-Tarentaise Valley. In 1888, the Herd-book of the Tarine breed was compiled (official description of the characteristics of cow breeds). In 1894, a cheese-dairy school was founded in Bourg Saint Maurice to train students in the cheese-making trade. In each hamlet and in the village, livestock rearers grouped together to establish these cheese dairies, or fruitières, as they are known, to make cheese. The French name refers to the fruit of the common labour of a village or hamlet. From 1960 to 1964, an economic recession set in and agricultural produce struggled to sell. From 1964, part of the village’s cheese dairies closed and the whole of the municipality’s production was centralised at the main village’s cheese dairy, which was named Coopérative laitière de Haute-Tarentaise. It obtained the controlled designation of origin (now the AOP) for its Beaufort in 1968.Free, unaccompanied tours of the site during the shop’s opening hours. Tel.: +33 (0)4 79 07 08 28fromagebeaufort.fr

This street is named after a captain from the 70th Alpine Fortress Battalion which, in 1940, became famous for defending, from the Italians, the fort of La Redoute-Ruinée (located above the resort of La Rosière de Montvalezan). He died in Indochina in 1947.

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Both forts command breathtaking views over the Haute-Tarentaise Valley and surrounding mountains, taking in the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard (2,188m), the Bellecôte range (3,417m), La Vanoise range and its highest peak, Mont Pourri (3,779m), the Les Arcs slopes and more.

This chapel has a bell tower dating back to 1644. Inside there is a small Baroque-style altarpiece in colour, showing St Vincent kneeling before the Virgin Mary. The chapel is closed, but feel free to have a look inside through the small windows.

Grandville and Mineurville get their names from the Latin root "villa", which means farming estate. Both hamlets were situated between the bottom of the valley and the mountain pastures of Lancevard, Céré, Combameinaz, Les Rochettes, Le Fornay and Forclaz lakes.In the latter half of the 19th century, their large populations were heavily involved in helping to build the Le Truc and La Platte forts (1890-1894). These days, this village no longer has a year-round population. In 1945, Grandville saw a local tragedy unfold: that winter, more than 6 metres of snow fell, building up on the top slopes. On the night of 12th February, an avalanche hurtled down the steep slopes above the village, swallowing up three houses and three members of the same family lost their lives.

The blockhouse or surveillance fort of La Platte stands at an altitude of 2,000m. In the same way as the Vulmix and Le Truc forts, it formed part of the fortification system intended by the engineer Séré de Rivière. Up until World War II, a series of developments were added to upgrade it: a watch tower was built for firing and surveillance, as well as railings over 30m around the fort.Sold by the army in the 1960s, it is now a private property closed to visitors.

This lovely little rural chapel is very old (1653). It is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, who exemplifies the repented and sanctified sinner. Its walls have been built from bonded (arranged) stones and its roof, graced with a pinnacle, is covered with lauze slate. This chapel is closed, but you are welcome to have a peek inside through the small windows!

Built on a promontory, this chapel is believed to have been standing since the 5th century. It is dedicated to the Archangel Michael, patron saint of high places and mountain pasture livestock. During the great plague in the 1650s and the village fire in 1795, the population sought refuge here. The chapel is not open to visitors, but from outside you can enjoy a scenic view over Bourg-Saint-Maurice and surrounding areas.

When the Duchy of Savoy (Savoie) was annexed to France in 1860, the unification of Italy posed a new threat. In 1888 France established the Alpine troops as well as a protective system that ran from the Jura all the way down to Nice: the Séré de Rivière line. For the construction of the forts, emphasis was placed on large passes and natural outlets. Tarentaise Valley was particularly exposed. It could be accessed from the mountain passes of Le Petit Saint-Bernard, Mont-Cenis and L'Iseran, and preventing such free passage was therefore paramount. The plans for the Séré de Rivière system anticipated several structures. La Redoute Ruinée, built just above the mountain pass, provided it with direct protection.This fort is supported by another three, with very specific purposes: - Vulmix (1,000m), barring access- Le Truc (1,573m), protection- La Platte (2,000m), surveillanceDespite the distance between them, the three forts of Bourg-Saint-Maurice formed an integral protection and surveillance system. Building work on the Fort du Truc began in 1890 to reinforce the action of the Vulmix Fort. Sold by the army in the 1960s, it is now a private property closed to visitors.

This chapel dates back to the 1610s, according to the inscription on the façade. The ante-chancel and chancel are separated by a timber rood screen. The colourful altarpiece comprises a central panel depicting several patron saints. St Margaret was the patron saint of pregnant women or women in labour. During the feast day for this patron saint, a great procession used to be held. After Mass, the village's families would serve a meal prepared in a large cauldron to the poor.

This chapel was built in the early 17th century. The chancel is decorated with a simple painting, framed in multicoloured Baroque décor, and showing a Virgin and child surrounded by the patron saints: St Maurice, St James the Less, St Andrew, St Philip and St Laurent.

The word "échines" is to be compared to the word "mountain" in a way, for both of these villages have been built up the slope beneath the Prainan peak. The venerable old villages Les Echines Dessous and Dessus already featured on the 1732 mappe sarde, only forming a single district prior to the French Revolution. During Napoleon I's reign, they were separated to create a school in each village. These schools stayed open until 1958 in Les Echines Dessus and 1997 in Les Echines Dessous. Village life revolved around livestock rearing and crop farming, with production of milk, hemp, wheat, oats and potatoes for example.

Built in the village centre at the turn of the 17th century, this chapel is dedicated to St George. The Roman soldier is often shown slaying a dragon, symbolising the victory of good over evil. There is no altarpiece inside, just a humble altar (1871). In 1682, the façade was decorated with a striking wrought-iron gate.

This square tower (7.60m on each side) and enclosure wall (1.80m) are the vestiges of an old defence system dating from the 12th century, whose foundations probably hark back to Roman times. Built on a steep promontory at the meeting point of several valleys: Beaufortain, Italy via the Col du Petit Saint Bernard and Isère, it protected all of the thoroughfares. Like all mediaeval defence structures, the entrance was up a ladder and via a door situated on the first floor, which facilitated entrenchment in the event of a threat. Arrow slit windows can still be seen and the arrangement of the stones is altogether remarkable.

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Built between the 12th and 13th centuries on a promontory, near the Roman road, this is all that remains of a feudal residence that passed between the hands of several families. It was once surrounded by a moat and towers, but mudslides have since covered this residence. Round pebbles placed in horizontal layers form this cylindrical building which was probably several storeys high. Arrow-slit windows, typical of mediaeval defence systems, can still be made out today. The wall is very thick, up to two metres in some places. It was occupied by the Rochefort-Villaraymon lords.

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