The history of the water and the hydroelectric installations will be told to you in this tour with breathtaking views.
The first hydroelectric schemes in the commune of Vaujany date from the end of the 19th century.
The context in brief: Mr. Aristide Bergès made a turbine work for the first time by the sole force of water. This is what he said: "The glaciers of the mountains, when exploited as a driving force, can be as precious a resource for their region and for the State as the coal of the depths. When one looks at the source of the thousands of horses thus obtained and their powerful service, the glaciers are no longer glaciers; it is the mine of white coal from which one draws, and how much preferable to the other. ". It is a revolution for our valleys, here electricity is produced, it is a form of modernism. Metalworking companies set up in the Romanche valley, towards Livet. They consume a lot of energy. The nature of the mountainous terrain offers many opportunities that were exploited long before the Grand Maison dam project.
In 1908, the first private hydroelectric power station of the Compagnie de l'Eau d'Olle was installed at Le Verney. The men went down to the factory to work. As the standards were not the same as today, some were electrocuted. It was not uncommon to come across someone with an amputated arm or leg. It was only in 1946 that EDF was created. Before, in the family farm, there was a light bulb in the living room, above the table, and another in the stable. The factory would close down, and switch the power to the inhabitants. There were no switches. Meters did not arrive until the 59/60s, leaving some people grumbling about paying for that light halo. The pipe that carries the water to the hydroelectric plant. The water comes from the Grand Maison dam, named after the Grand Maison which was buried when it was impounded. It passes through the mountain. Then it is regulated at the balance chimney, and finally sent to the EDF plant and ends its course in the Verney lake. A particularity: the water of the lake of Verney is "re-pumped", passes again in the mountain and finds its initial lake, that of Grand Maison. EDF spends electricity to pump the water, an operation that turns out to be surprising! Why spend electricity for an unnatural manipulation? Simply because the gain from passing it on again is greater!
6.6 km
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max. 1246 m
min. 974 m
402 m
398 m
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Style : Mountain Public : FamilyOccasional hikersTeenagers Themes : CulturalHistory |
The first hydroelectric schemes in the commune of Vaujany date from the end of the 19th century.The context in brief: Mr. Aristide Bergès made a turbine work for the first time by the sole force of water. This is what he said: "The glaciers of the mountains, when exploited as a driving force, can be as precious a resource for their region and for the State as the coal of the depths. When one looks at the source of the thousands of horses thus obtained and their powerful service, the glaciers are no longer glaciers; it is the mine of white coal from which one draws, and how much preferable to the other. ". It is a revolution for our valleys, here electricity is produced, it is a form of modernism. Metalworking companies set up in the Romanche valley, towards Livet. They consume a lot of energy. The nature of the mountainous terrain offers many opportunities that were exploited long before the Grand Maison dam project.
First bridge over the Flumet, a little higher up on the Flumet stream is the combes reservoir filled by the stream called the Flumet which you cross twice on this walk.Remains of an old mill more than a hundred years old. You can see the millstone: the power of water was already being used! In the commune you will find a mill at Les Combes, and another in the hamlet of La Villette, which was in operation until well after the war.
Remains of an old mill more than a hundred years old. You can see the millstone: the power of water was already being used! In the commune you will find a mill at Les Combes, and another in the hamlet of La Villette, which was in operation until well after the war.
You arrive at the hamlet of Le Sert, this road linking the Enversin d'Oz dates from 1977.In front of you, in the bend, is the Chapelle Saint Claude, which was entirely moved when the road was widened during the construction of the Grand Maison dam. The hydroelectric developments first began at the end of the 19th century, then in the 1970s, engineers came to prospect. In 1980, work began. Vaujany was transformed into the Wild West, with workers from all over the world flocking to our region. A tunnel boring machine was going to dig the Rissiou massif, the one above Vaujany. A 5-year construction site, before it is put in water. The next part of the hike will take you to the foot of the balance chimney which regulates the supply of water to the hydrélec power station, located on the edge of the Verney lake.
The first hydroelectric schemes dug into the mountain to make way for turbines.From the Fare waterfall, a pipe crosses under the hamlet of Perrier to join another pipe that feeds the Verney power station. There is a door at each access to the pipe. The children of the village who looked after the animals had to keep a day at gate 1, then 2 etc... The gates of the pipe were used as markers.
In the past, it was the only path that linked the hamlets to Vaujany. It links the small Vaujany, the place of the church and the cemetery, to the other hamlets.You take the downhill path known as the chemin du reposoir. The coffins went up to the cemetery by this path, the only one existing to link the lower hamlets to Vaujany. At this point, the men took a break, laid the coffin on the rock, and carved a cross in memory of the deceased. In some places, some initials appear.
The Musée EDF Hydrélec is the only museum in France dedicated to hydroelectricity. Installed in Oisans, the Musée EDF Hydrélec features a new 900m2 scenographic display that retraces the epic story of the production of hydroelectricity.It pays homage to the scientists, engineers, technicians and manoeuvres that played a role in building the hydroelectric power stations and dams, some of which have become an integral part of our heritage and genuine works of art. Installed in Oisans, in the heart of an area with a long history of hydroelectricity, the Musée EDF Hydrélec has now been awarded the «Musée de France» label. It features a number of unique collections comprising scientific and technical objects from the 19th and 20th centuries. Member of the "Route of the know-how of the Oisans", he organizes the guided tour "Exceptional electricity" on reservation .. This establishment offers the E-Bike Service: charge your electric bike here on request (remember to take your charger).
From the tourist office, walk up the street past the bakery and then take the first road on the left down "la Cours Basse". Go past the town hall, always go down to the bottom and arrive at the junction with the road below, cross it and in front of you starts the path for the Enversin, indicated by a wooden sign. Follow this path downhill, crossing the bridge and looking at your feet! Continue on the path that climbs after the bridge, always straight ahead, the path levels out to reach the heart of the hamlet of l'Enversin. Once in the hamlet, take the passage of the wash house, go down. You arrive at a road, you follow it on the left, until you reach the busier road. This time, you continue to the right, until you reach the path, 30 m further on, which indicates Pourchery. The path goes down to the bridge, goes up and ends at the hamlet of Le Sert. You continue on the road until you reach the bend in the main road leading to Vaujany. You continue up this main road, until the bend above the sheepfold, take the bridge over the stream, take the path, still going up. At one point, your path joins another path coming from the right, continue right on this side path for a while. You will find a random marking of blue dots which you follow until you come down to a flat area where the Condamine reservoir is located. From there a road goes down, you follow it. Then you join the main road going up to Vaujany until the bend where the path of the resting place starts and brings you back to the village. You arrive under the church, at the entrance of the village.
Office de Tourisme de Vaujany - 18/04/2024
www.vaujany.com/fr/
Report a problem
From 01/05 to 31/10 between 9 am and 4 pm.
Subject to favorable weather.
Phone : 04 76 80 72 37
Fax : 04 76 79 82 49
Email : info@vaujany.com
Website : www.vaujany.com/fr/
Advice :
- Check the weather conditions before you leave.
- In case of emergency call 112.
- Adapt your clothing to the activity: bring good walking shoes, a windbreaker and a cap ....
- Bring snacks and water.