Savoyard discovery walk: Les Prioux

From the village of Les Prioux, the Chavière valley reveals its secrets. Learn how Beaufort cheese is made, smell the scents of alpine pastures, listen as the locals talk about how the Vanoise National Park was created and its early tourism.

Starting from the hamlet of Les Prioux, at an altitude of 1700 m, this walk takes you through the Chavière valley, where nature has managed to preserve its rights and man has adapted to them.

As if to make up for the long winter months when they were cut off from the world, the houses start to talk. They tell you about life in the past and present, as the seasons go by: alpine pastures, Beaufort cheese-making, the development of tourism, and mountain trades.

Winding along the banks of the Doron, the trail awakens all your senses to tell you the secrets of the Prioux houses.

Two routes to choose from, two levels of difficulty:

PROMENADE CONFORT starting from Les Prioux
Accessible to all, including families with strollers, senior citizens and accompanied wheelchair users.
. Time: 40 min.
. Height difference: 10 m

People with reduced mobility can take the electric shuttle to Les Prioux.

Self-guided discovery: interpretive furniture along the route.
Possibility of a map game to discover the trail (on sale at the Tourist Office).

PROMENADE LIBERTE: Recommended for the more curious who want to walk from the center of Pralognan-la-Vanoise to the Chavière valley and Les Prioux.

. Time: 2h
. Difference in altitude: 300 m
. Distance: 4.3 Km
. Departure from the free “le Bouquetin” parking lot in Pralognan.

Electric shuttle service available during the summer season.

Tips :

CONTINUE MY DISCOVERY

On site :
. Chalet des Prioux: Beaufort factory
. Tasting of local specialities in Les Prioux restaurants
. Guided walks with the Bureau des Guides de Pralognan-la-Vanoise
. Guided tour on the theme of mountain pastures by FACIM

Nearby :
. Vanoise National Park
. Alpine pastures of Chapendu and Ritord (goat and Beaufort cheese production)
. Roc de la Pêche chapel
. Theme trails and walks :
– Jardin des Panoramas de Chollière
– Glière fun trail
– Arcelin viewpoint
– Mont Bochor discovery trail

Guidebook with maps/step-by-step :

VARIANTS ascent: From Pralognan From the Bouquetin car park, in the center of Pralognan, you can reach the hamlet of Prioux on foot by going up the Chavière valley and passing through the hamlet of Chollière. Start in front of the Maison du Parc then reach the top of the Route du Plateau (information panel). Trail n° 59 Another family walk starting from Les Prioux which will offer you very beautiful views of the Chavière valley and the Dôme des Nants glacier bar. For the itinerary see the hike of the “Sentier du Lièvre aux Prioux”