Col de la Bailletta da Fornet

"Il villaggio storico di Fornet è situato sulla riva sinistra dell´Isère, protetto da valanghe e cadute di massi. L´estensione sulla riva destra, dove vi trovate ora, è stata autorizzata solo dopo la costruzione della ""tourne"" (collinetta + fossato), che ripara l´agglomerato contro valanghe e caduta di massi. Noterete anche che nessun muro è frontale ai pendii. Nel XVIII secolo, Fornet d´Aval, situato fra Laisinant e l´attuale Fornet, è stato completamente distrutto da una valanga. Alcune rovine sono tuttora visibili."

La primula piemontese (Primula pedemontana) si riconosce in primavera per i suoi bei fiori rosa, ma anche per le foglie orlate e i peli ghiandolari rossi, che la distinguono dalla cugina Primula hirsuta. Questa specie cresce sulle rocce silicee, come la quarzite (roccia bianco-verde) che vedete sopra di voi. La primula piemontese è una specie protetta a livello nazionale, pertanto è vietato coglierla. Nella riserva naturale, tutta la vegetazione è protetta. Si può guardare e odorare ma non toccare!

La Riserva naturale nazionale di Baillettaz è stata istituita nel 2000, in seguito al declassamento della Riserva naturale del colle d´Iseran (fondata nel 1963), avvenuto per consentire la riqualificazione del comprensorio sciistico della valle. La Riserva di Baillettaz ha una superficie di circa 495 ettari. Il suo ricco patrimonio naturale include soprattutto flora, grande fauna (camosci e stambecchi) e rapaci (aquila reale, gipeto, gheppio).

"Siete giunti al primo altipiano, chiamato ""Couart dessous"". Il parco con i muretti a secco era usato per lasciare il gregge durante la notte. Fino alla fine degli anni ´90, è stato il dominio di un gregge comunale di ovini, con circa 800 capi di diversi proprietari locali. Con la rivoluzione delle pratiche pastorali, questo gregge ha lasciato il posto a un gregge privato proveniente d´Aiton, che è ancora in parte di proprietà di Christophe Mattis, abitante di Fornet."

Gli habitat naturali della riserva sono costituiti prevalentemente da praterie alpine, zone rupestri, ghiaioni e qualche raro ambiente umido. Fra le specie protette di questo patrimonio, si possono citare: la carex bicolore negli ambienti umidi; la sassifraga simile a diapensia (Saxifraga diapensioides) nelle falesie calcaree; la sassifraga muscosa (Saxifraga muscoides) nei ghiaioni e nelle falesie umide in calcescisto. La kœleria del Moncenisio (Kœleria cenisia) si adatta bene alle praterie rase e secche con pietra calcarea.

Quello che vedete davanti a voi è il colle dell´Iseran. La strada è stata inaugurata nel 1937, al posto di un cammino mulattiero. Le monete e una statuetta ritrovate nella valle dell´Isère testimoniano il passaggio dell´uomo all´epoca dei Romani. Alcuni di questi passaggi hanno lasciato importanti tracce storiche. Nel 1689, i vodesi (minoranza rifugiata in Svizzera, praticanti di un cristianesimo austero) partirono alla riconquista dei propri territori d´asilo (quattro valli italiane addossate al Queyras) e passarono da questo luogo portandosi con sé tutti i loro beni. Nessuno si è intromesso nonostante gli ordini!

Davanti a voi, potete ammirare da est verso ovest: la Pointe Pers (alt. 3327 m) e il Signal de l´Iseran (alt. 3237 m) a sinistra del Col de l´Iseran (alt. 2764 m). La Pointe du Charbonnel con il suo ghiacciaio (alt. 3752 m) dietro al colle, in Moriana e infine la Crête des Leissières (alt. 3043 m) a destra del colle. A destra della Crête des Leissières, ci sono la Pointe de Méan Martin (alt. 3330 m) e le Pointes du Châtelard (alt. 3378 m) con i loro rispettivi ghiacciai.

Station de 28 000 lits touristiques est reliée à Tignes par remopntées mécaniques depuis 1970. La station de Val d'Isère s'est développée dès les années 1930 autour du village à 1850m. Les premières constructions de chlaets, commerces et hôtels sont impulsées par les locaux. Les immeubles à l'architecture modernesont bâtis par des aménageurs extérieurs dès l'après-guerre.

It all began back in 1888 when the first hotel opened in Val d'Isère. Skiing became fashionable from the 1930s, and Val d'Isère soon established itself as a leading destination (the ski school opened, its first ski lift opened and the Col de l'Iseran mountain pass road opened). Winter sports really took off after World War II and Val d’Isère became a world-class resort thanks to its unique ski area and the authentic charm of its village. In 1955 it launched the Criterium de la Première Neige, a mythical downhill ski race, followed by other renowned competitions. The traditional Savoyard architecture showcases local materials: stone, timber, metal and lauze slate. Although timber chalets are still the best-known mountain house, the architecture in Val d’Isère also features a range of other types. Most chalets in Val d'Isère have been built in keeping with the traditional style and the different hamlets across the resort (Le Joseray, Le Fornet, Le Crêt, etc.) all harbour architectural secrets that are well worth uncovering on outings. Guided tours of the resort are organised by the Tourist Office.

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…

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.

The chapels in Le Fornet have seen a fair bit of change over the centuries… that’s because of the avalanches. There have been four in all, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene each time. The first chapel was built between 1600 and 1630 near the larch forest to protect the village from avalanches. The present-day chapel was built in 1890, thanks to funds from Joachim Bonnevie. Above the entrance doorway, you can see the statuette of the Patron Saint in the recess. This was sculpted very recently as the original was stolen in the 1980s, along with many other religious artefacts. Up until the 1990s, on St Mary Magdalene’s Day, the vicar would come and bless the houses, then hold Mass in the chapel for the local congregation. Who was Mary Magdalene?According to the New Testament, Jesus cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene. She went on to become one of his disciples - perhaps the most important. She was the first to witness Jesus’ Resurrection, which makes her very important. She is also the woman who features most prominently in the New Testament. Mary Magdalene weeps, as she does not understand what the angels are saying, it’s so unimaginable. That’s when Christ appears and speaks to her. He tells her that he is going to ascend to be with God and that she must tell the other disciples. 22 July is her feast day.Why does Mary Magdalene have a special place in Le Fornet?At this exact spot, water flows at the bottom of the gorge. It would have been difficult to access the River Isère if there was a fire. So the locals relied on Mary Magdalene’s tears to put out any fire.