|
[E-Mail]
Click on the map
|
 |
The wooded south-oriented face above St Michel de Maurienne offers a wide variety of marked paths visiting beautifully-renovated hamlets and villages. They are practicable almost all the year round. Highest altitude: 1330m (Beaune). For the whole tour, count 650m of ascent and 3h30.
Start
- Behind the townhall of St Michel and a block of renovated flats, a steep path climbs towards l'Etraz
- Or from Le Vigny (see map), locate the start of the Paul Mougin path (large signpost).
The best way to make the most of the visit is to start up the Paul Mougin path, past Les Teppes and Villarbernon (the path follows the stream-bed), then left under Villarbernon (right goes back to the road) and finally up to Villar Zembrun and Beaune (numerous signposts). Then traverse to La Traversaz and back to l'Etraz by three possible routes:
- Go back a little towards Beaune and locate the start of the Paul Mougin path (yellow marks). It descends to the road below Villarbernon. Walk 500m down the road, turn right on to the lower part of the Paul Mougin path.
- Before completely leaving La Traversaz, turn right and walk down a field. The path goes straight down to l'Etraz to the right of the bends of the road.
- Walk down the road to St Michel, leaving to your left the road to Le Thyl. Turn right and go down immediately after the latter intersection. It joins the previous route above l'Etraz
Walk across l'Etraz (renovated village), and the road to La Buffaz. The path tumbles straight down to St Michel, cutting the road in several places (steep). To go back to Le Vigny, turn right on to the Chateau du Vigny trail at Le Mollard, the last hamlet before St Michel.
Le Thyl is a perched village at a dead-end of the road that turns left after La Traversaz. A recently-marked path visits a dolmen and two cupula stones (including the one at Pré Bérard), not far below the section of sentier balcon that goes from la Bachellerie to Notre Dame des Neiges.