Vaulnaveys-le-Haut: Hiking and Heritage

Vaulnaveys-le-Haut offers practical starting points for planning a trip that takes in outdoor activities and local heritage. These include five municipal hiking trails, woodland leisure activities, historic sites, a large wetland, and a market in the town center.

Hiking and woodland activities

Five municipal hiking trails give hiking a clear place in your trip planning. The forest of Vaulnaveys-le-Haut is suitable for walks on marked trails, snowshoeing, and mountain biking. The activities differ in nature: the municipal trails are for hiking, while the forest offers several leisure options. When planning, it is therefore helpful to decide whether you want to focus on a municipal hike or an activity in the forest. Trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out.

Church and chapel

The Church of Saint John the Baptist stands in the town center of Vaulnaveys-le-Haut. It is mentioned in a papal bull confirmed on March 20, 1095. The Chapel of Belmont was built in 1666 and is the only one of Vaulnaveys-le-Haut’s five former chapels that still survives. The two sites offer different historical points of reference: for the church, it is the dated mention; for the chapel, its construction date and survival as the only one of five.

Monastery ruins and milling history

The Site de Prémol is an area of meadows and forest in Vaulnaveys-le-Haut, with the ruins of the former Chartreuse de Prémol. The Chartreuse was a women’s monastery founded in 1234 by Béatrice de Montferrat. The area’s rural history also includes the Moulin de la ville, documented from 1328 as one of six mills on the Gorge and Vernon streams. Thus, alongside churches and chapels, the history of a women’s monastery and the mills on the streams offer distinct themes.

The dates mark different events: 1095 is the confirmation of the bull, 1666 the construction of the chapel, 1234 the founding of the monastery, and 1328 the documentation of the mill. This distinction is useful for placing them in chronological context, since the dates do not all refer to the same kind of event.

Wetland and market

The Etang du Clos is the largest of Vaulnaveys-le-Haut’s 14 wetlands and covers more than three hectares. The number of wetlands provides a local comparison, while the area gives a more specific sense of scale. The Etang du Clos is distinguished by its size within this group, whereas the Site de Prémol is characterized by its meadows, forest, and Chartreuse ruins. The two sites therefore represent different landscape features: a wetland on the one hand, and an area of meadows and forest with monastery ruins on the other.

A market is held in the town center on Fridays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you would like to plan your stay around it, check the hours before your trip, as the market schedule may change. This time slot provides a practical reference for planning your week and complements the choice between nature and heritage themes.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Ondras, Chuzelles, Veurey-Voroize, Serpaize, Sainte-Luce, Izeron, Corps, Chatte

For the broader travel overview: Isere.