Nature and heritage discovery trail

An illustration of the trail and various points of interest along the way.

You will walk together, from the center of the village to Notre Dame de la Gorge, the endstop of this route. Who is that mysterious companion going to be? Bon Nant, water torrent which source is located in the heart of the nature reserve of Contamines-Montjoie. To find out more about it, go to sign 2!

From ancient times to the dawn of tourism, discover all the key historical dates in Les Contamines-Montjoie. And then you'll be able to answer the question: who were the Ceutrons? Go to panel 3!

Loge, mazot, éparson or fenil will hold no more secrets for you, once you've seen this panel which describes the different elements of pastoral architecture typical of the Val Montjoie.

The Val Montjoie is renowned for the natural beauty and ruggedness of its peaks. Despite the appeal of these peaks to mountaineering enthusiasts, the history of mountaineering here is far from straightforward. To find out more, go to panel 5!

The municipality of Les Contamines-Montjoie has a rich natural alpine heritage. In fact, almost two thirds of its surface area is classified as a national nature reserve! To find out more, go to panel 6!

Did you know that glaciers are the main architects of the landscape you can see all around you? Some of them are being scientifically monitored by the nature reserve. To find out more, go to panel 7!

Altitude has an influence on the natural environments that occur on mountain slopes. Thus, at each altitude level there are different species of flora and fauna, some particularly well adapted, others more versatile! There is life at every level.

Chamois and Ibex are mountain ungulates, while Stag and Roe Deer are lowland ungulates that have adapted well to the mountaineous environment. Come and find out which species can be found here! To do so, go to panel 9!

The forest is an important part of the nature reserve. To find out more, go to panel 10!!

A delicate array of some of the essential species of flora, butterflies and amphibians that can be observed within the perimeter of the nature reserve with just a bit of luck and patience!

An opportunity to meet iconic mountain birds such as the golden eagle and black grouse. But it's also a chance to meet some lesser-known species, such as the European owl, a small nocturnal bird of prey found in the nature reserve.

More than just a tourist attraction, the Roman roads were one of the main routes used to cross the Alps in ancient times! Before the Roman invasion, the Ceutrones, a Celtic tribe who farmed livestock, inhabited the Val-Montjoie. To make cheese, they used salt mined at Moutiers via the Col du Bonhomme. They were involved in building roads to Italy. These roads were taken over by the Romans when they invaded the Alps. Take a look at the Rochassets pass: it was carved out of the rock to allow chariots to pass through!