Maison Forte de Hautetour

A former 13th-century building, the Maison forte de Hautetour is now a lively cultural venue, with a permanent exhibition devoted to mountaineering and the history of the Compagnie des guides, temporary exhibitions and an artistic residency.
First restored in 2012, the Maison Forte de Hautetour is getting a makeover in 2025 with a new layout for the permanent exhibition ‘Le Mont Blanc, côté Val Montjoie’ (Mont Blanc, Val Montjoie side). This exhibition highlights those who wrote the first pages of mountaineering history. Through archives, photographs, period objects and recent equipment, as well as contemporary works of art, discover the behind-the-scenes story of this human adventure and the challenges faced by the pioneers of mountaineering. Immerse yourself in the past to understand and discover the origins of climbing the roof of Europe, observe and question how this practice has adapted to current developments.

The Hautetour fortified house is also a venue for temporary exhibitions, contemporary art and artistic residencies.

This winter, the exhibition ‘History of Mountain Rescue’ will be on display from 16 December 2025 to 30 April 2026.
It is also hosting the painter Adrien Fricheteau for a research and creative residency. An exhibition showcasing his research work on the region will be on display between late January and early May 2026.

The Maison forte de Hautetour is also a writing residency.
For its fifth edition, it is hosting author Laurence Nobécourt for several weeks. A short fictional story, Peau Rouge, will be published in December 2025 by La rumeur libre.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)