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Unveil Espace Vacances Val-d'Isere Treasures

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Welcome to Val-d'Isère, a picturesque destination nestled in the heart of the Alps. During your stay at ESPACE VACANCES, explore the natural magnificence and diverse activities surrounding this charming town. In winter, Val-d'Isère is a paradise for ski and snowboard enthusiasts with world-renowned slopes. The French Ski School offers lessons for all levels, from beginners to experts. For those se...See more

Walking around ESPACE VACANCES

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What to do in ESPACE VACANCES

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Entre Le Lac mountain hut
11 km

Entre Le Lac mountain hut

Located in the heart of the Parc de la Vanoise in an old sheepfold converted into a refuge, at an altitude of 2145m, it benefits from a protected environment in the heart of the alpine fauna and flora allowing the observation of large mammals and birds of prey. The refuge is privately run. It is located on the "Tarentaise" side of the Vanoise National Park, on the GR5, at the edge of the PLagne lake, source of the Ponthurin. You will go up between the Mont-Pourri massif, its glaciers and the waterfalls that flow down from it, and the Aliet massif. The GR 5 passes 10 minutes from the refuge and links it to the Col du Palet and Tignes. The refuge is open and guarded permanently from mid-June to mid-September. (no winter refuge). How to get there : - from Peisey-Nancroix and the Parc de Rosuel refuge-gate (car parks, shuttles from Landry - SNCF station and Peisey, refuge, catering, via ferrata), in 2h30 (average time) of walking on a good path on the left or right bank of the Ponthurin, - from Les Arcs and the Mont Pourri refuge (two hours), - from Tignes-le-Lac (3 hours via the Col du Palet refuge), - from the Martin refuge (via the Col de la Sachette or the Tourne), - from the Champagny-en-Vanoise valley (4 hours from the Plaisance refuge via the Plan Séry pass or the Aimes pass). This refuge has a capacity of 40 people and belongs to the commune of Landry. Francis, the muleteer, also offers you his donkeys for hire for your walks. Contact him, 2 km before the Rosuel car park. NB: Dogs, kept on a lead, are allowed from Rosuel to the refuge (but not beyond), provided they climb up the left bank of the Ponthurin. The refuge is ideally situated for mountain fishing enthusiasts, on the banks of the Lac de la Plagne, a beautiful torrent, ideal for fly fishing or fishing for trout and salmon. The hut is a depository for the day fishing cards of the Société de la Gaule de l'Ormente. Fishing is open on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and public holidays; fishing for dead or live fish is prohibited. Rates are different for holders of a fishing permit or not. Open from 19 June to 18 September 2022.

73210 Peisey-Nancroix
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What to visit in ESPACE VACANCES

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Visit the historical sites of ESPACE VACANCES.
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St Roch’s Chapel
346 m

St Roch’s Chapel

St Roch’s Chapel stands on the square, a stone’s throw from the church. For a long time, the headrace that brought water to the adjacent mill flowed right in front of the chapel! (You can still see a millstone standing on the side). St Roch, Joan of Arc and the vicar of Ars can be seen in the recesses (the old statues were stolen). This chapel is mentioned during the pastoral visit in 1633. In 1790, a lawyer in Turin by the name of Boch gave a donation to enable 51 services to be held a year, i.e. one every Friday (what did he fear for the community and for himself we might wonder?). Nowadays, this chapel is still used as a chapel of rest.Who was St Roch?St Roch’s feast day is celebrated on 16 August. He was a hermit who spent his time embarking on pilgrimages. Often associated with St Sebastian, St Roch is invoked against plague. Veneration of him began to spread across Savoie in the mid 15th century, swiftly gaining ground through the 16th and 17th centuries, before almost completely disappearing in the 18th century. Plague was a terrible disease. Its pandemics took a devastating toll on populations. Yersin’s bacillus, the vector of the disease, was not identified until the 19th century. Rats carried the bacillus, and fleas, moving from the rats to humans, contaminated the population. In our mountain communities, which were crawling with hawkers, mule-drivers, merchants and smugglers, it’s hardly surprising that the disease often blighted the local populations. All it took was for a flea carrying the bacillus to jump inside the lapel of a cloak and the disease was there…

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Saint-Jean-des-Prés Chapel
370 m

Saint-Jean-des-Prés Chapel

You’ll be able to recognise St Jean’s Chapel by the larch mission cross, erected in 1847. In the olden days, there was once a built-up spur behind the chapel (structure to protect against avalanches that could come down from Solaise via the Combe Martin). On striking the spur, they would split, lose speed and thus slow their destructive force. Built some 300m south of the church, the purpose of this chapel was to protect the village and its residents from avalanches. In 1790, four Masses, costing 12 sols (shillings) each, were celebrated a year. They were financed by an émigré who had moved to Val d’Isère, a merchant from Parma: Amédée Thovex. A procession would set off from the church with the reliquary in honour of St Innocent (21 July), the second patron saint of the Val church. With the reliquary perched on the shoulders of the male church members, banners, female church members covered in a white veil, vicars and clerics followed by believers would form this long procession that would head out along the road to Le Laisinant. On leaving the village, they would turn towards Le Rogoney to make their way back to St Jean’s Chapel where a blessing would take place before returning to the village: this was a day of celebration!Who was St John? A prominent figure of the New Testament, who can be found in a great many scenes, John, beloved disciple of Christ, has always been depicted in the iconography of the Western Church with young, and even effeminate features at times.

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Notre-Dame-des-Neiges du Joseray Chapel
634 m

Notre-Dame-des-Neiges du Joseray Chapel

This chapel in Le Joseray, named "our Lady of the Snows", overlooks Le Manchet Valley. Mentioned as far back as 1633, firstly under the name St Michel and then, in 1790, under the name Our Lady of Compassion, it is now referred to as Our Lady of the Snows. In our mountains, whenever the Virgin or Our Lady is described as being "of the Snows", she is called upon to protect from the snow or ward off avalanches. On 5 August, during the Saint’s feast day, Mass used to be held in the chapel after a procession had taken place. In May, Le Joseray’s procession marked the end of the Rogation Days, which were a period when prayers were offered for God’s attention on the fields and harvests, to protect them from bad weather and insects. The fifth Sunday after Easter was Rogation Sunday, after which the “Grand Tour” would begin: Monday in Le Fornet, Tuesday in La Daille. On Wednesday, the third and final day of the Rogation ceremonies, the procession would leave the church while the cleric rang the bells until the parishioners arrived in Le Joseray. At each cross or crossroads, the procession would stop for the vicar to bless the fields. Chapels and churches dedicated to St Michael all feature the same characteristics: they stand out from afar as they are always built on a rocky spur or hillock, overlooking the landscape and reminding us mere mortals that, when the time of death comes, our deeds will be judged! In many places, the livestock would be brought back down from the high mountain pastures on St Michael’s Day: this was known as the démontagnée date. From the early Middle Ages, St Michael’s Day was also an important legal date: payments were due and contracts were renewed. This chapel is the largest of all the rural chapels in Val d’Isère and has a long nave with a barrel vault, culminating in a plain rectangular apse.

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Sainte-Lucie aux Branges Chapel
1.8 km

Sainte-Lucie aux Branges Chapel

At the time it was mentioned during the pastoral visit in 1633, this chapel was dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. The painting showing the stigmata of St Francis now hangs in St Roch’s Chapel. In the 18th century, it would be dedicated to St Lucy. In 1790, Mass was celebrated there for her feast day. The chapel was restored by Guy Turbil, who owned the house next door, in 1971. There were once several houses in the hamlet or village of Les Branges. This name refers to larch trees in local dialect.Who is St Lucy?Born into a very wealthy noble family from Syracuse, Lucy (who died between 303 and 310) lived with her mother Eutychia and venerated St Agatha. As her mother suffered from an inflammatory bowel syndrome and blood loss, one day Lucy decided to take her to Agatha’s tomb, in Catania, to ask for healing. The next day, Eutychia recovered. Following this healing, Lucy asked her mother’s permission to distribute to the poor everything that her father had left her. Both women then began giving all that they owned to the poor, a little each day. But Eutychia had promised Lucy’s hand in marriage to a young man who flew into a fit of rage when he heard that his fiancée wished to remain a virgin and was selling her fortune, which he had his eyes on, to give to the poor. So he denounced her to the Consul Pascasius, as an enemy of the deities of the Roman Empire. Refusing to give up her Christian faith, Lucy was sent to a brothel then martyred. Her name comes from the Latin word lux (which means light), and that is why she is associated with many festivals of light.

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Le Laisonnay refuge restaurant
15 km

Le Laisonnay refuge restaurant

At the gates of the Vanoise National Park, the refuge restaurant has been an unmissable eatery since 1963 both for mountain lovers and lovers of typical Savoyard gastronomy. In the heart of the valley of Champagny le Haut (listed as one of France's natural sites and monuments), under the Py waterfall and a few short strides from the entrance to the Vanoise National Park, the Laisonnay refuge brings together gastronomes and hikers in a unique and friendly atmosphere. Its unique location, where the road ends and the hiking trails begin, has seen the restaurant adapt to cater to the greatest number. The restaurant: Respect for tradition Savoyard gastronomy in the restaurant is mainly based on family recipes handed down by our parents, grandparents, great grandparents ... our goal is to rediscover the forgotten traditional gastronomy and the rich flavours of the valley. Although there's no electricity, the refuge still offers quality catering as part of the quality charter of the Academy of Taste and Culinary Traditions in Savoy, of which we are founding members. Forget any preconceived ideas, taste quality Savoyard cuisine. (Re) Discover authentic traditional dishes, regional cuisine prepared the old fashioned way with local products, dishes based on cheeses and also a selection of the best regional products. We are committed to promoting our cuisine through common sense: Good products thanks to the individual and personal knowledge of artisans, farmers, cheesemakers, breeders, winegrowers, brewers ... who supply most of our raw materials. Good recipes, mostly old and traditional, which have only changed a little or haven't changed at all for several generations and, of course, the fact that our recipes are homemade. Products used: from the local market. We select our products from local or regional suppliers who are experts in their fields. We prefer local arrangements, direct sales on the farm, etc. We, therefore, look for many products on the farms we work with. We do not deal with salespeople, but rather with the people who manufacture, cultivate, and process the produce. Apart from guaranteeing that we get premium products, it helps to maintain local agriculture and craftsmanship and becomes part of the mindset of sustainable development. Operation: The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and we highly recommend that you book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Le Laisonnay Champagny le Haut 73350 Champagny-en-Vanoise
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Caution!
We have no information on the difficulty of this circuit. You may encounter some surprises along the way. Before you go, please feel free to inquire more and take all necessary precautions. Have a good trip! 🌳🥾