Bellentre: Chapels, Village Paths and Lac Noir

Bellentre has several points of interest to help you find your way around: the hamlets of Montchavin and Les Coches, walking and cycling routes, and churches and chapels with their own historical stories.

Hamlets and village character

The hamlets of Montchavin and Les Coches are part of Bellentre; both lie on the left bank of the Isère. Montchavin has retained its Savoyard village character. This includes chalets clad in wood and stone, a working farm, a chapel and a car-free village centre.

A walking route through Montchavin passes carved balconies, the Sainte-Agathe Chapel and animals from the farm. The route brings together details of the village’s architecture and a glimpse of life around the farm. Sainte-Agathe Chapel is both part of the village’s present-day character and a reminder of the site’s former use: it was built in 1988 on the site of an old mill.

Hiking trails and seasonal activities

Bellentre lies on the GR5 long-distance hiking trail and maintains its walking paths for summer tourism. One different way to experience the landscape is the Vanoise Express/Chanton snowshoe route. It starts in Les Coches or Montchavin, passes through a larch forest and offers views of the valley, Mont Blanc and the Massif du Beaufortain. Summer hiking trails and a named snowshoe route thus offer two distinct activities.

The Balcons de Tarentaise cycling loop also leads to Bellentre: a detour takes it through the village. Check seasonal conditions before setting out.

Lac Noir near Montchavin

The Lac Noir peat bog, which is 4,000 years old, is near Montchavin. Information panels explain its formation and development, as well as some of the flora found there. The natural heritage of the area encompasses both the bog’s long history and its plant life.

Churches and chapels

The exterior of Saint-André Church in Bellentre points to its Romanesque origins. A painting at the centre of the main altarpiece depicts the martyrdom of Saint Andrew; it was created by Pignol in 1716. The pulpit also has its own date: Joseph-Marie Martel carved it in 1765. The church thus brings together evidence of earlier origins and two interior features with known dates.

The earliest historical references to the Notre-Dame-de-la-Compassion Chapel in Bellentre date back to 1634. The Chapel of Saint Joseph and Saint Pierre in Gothard is first documented in 1732, and Notre Dame des Ermites in Le Crey in 1773. These dates indicate the earliest records, not necessarily the years when the chapels were built.

The hamlets have their own distinctive features, too: the small religious Chapel of Saint-Clair stands in the authentic lanes of Montorlin. In Montchavin, Sainte-Agathe Chapel, built in 1988, stands on the site of an old mill. Its more recent construction and the site’s former purpose give it a different historical context from the chapels first documented in the 17th and 18th centuries.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Les Échelles, Francin, Bessans, Saint-Marcel, Novalaise, Les Allues, Montalbert, Val-D'isère

Back to the main travel overview: Savoie.