Summer hike : Hamlet of Vaujany

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).