La Perrière: Church Art, Mountain Hamlets and La Tania
Accommodation in La Perrière
La Perrière brings together different eras: the development of the winter sports resort of La Tania began with a decision by the former municipality in the late 1980s, while Villarnard, its churches, and its chapels tell the story of the area’s earlier history. When planning your trip, you can therefore focus on different things: the history of winter sports or the cultural heritage of the mountain hamlets. The routes also lead to different destinations, from Villarnard to the hamlets of Villaflou and La Nouvaz.
La Tania and the History of Winter Sports
Toward the end of the 1980s, the former municipality of La Perrière decided to create a winter sports resort near the hamlet of La Tagna. The resort opened on December 22, 1990, under the name La Tania. The construction of the winter sports resort connected the La Perrière valley to the ski area, giving skiers access to the slopes of Courchevel and Méribel. La Tania therefore represents a more recent phase in the area’s history than its religious buildings and historic hamlets.
Church Art in La Perrière
The Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste was rebuilt in the 17th century. Among its notable artworks is an important altarpiece dedicated to John the Baptist, with depictions of Saints Grat and Guérin. The choir stalls also feature an unusual depiction of the Holy Trinity. The altarpiece and choir stalls offer different insights into the church’s furnishings.
Villarnard: Mountain Hamlet and Cultural Heritage
Villarnard is a traditional mountain hamlet and a former alpine-pasture hamlet in the area of the former municipality of La Perrière. The Chemin de Villarnard leads there; Villarnard is considered a testament to local cultural heritage. An exhibition about life in the hamlet up to 1950 is housed in the former school. It offers a glimpse into everyday life during a clearly defined historical period.
In Villarnard, the Association Le Patrimoine preserved and restored the former school, the communal bread oven, and the washhouse. The festive, rural and cultural weekend known as Rencontres du Patrimoine takes place there every year in midsummer. If you would like to plan your trip around the event, check the dates in advance. For the return journey from the Chemin de Villarnard, you can take the shuttle from the Perrière Saint Jean stop on line I; check the timetable if you plan to take this return trip.
La Nouvaz and the Chemin du Moulin
La Nouvaz lies at an altitude of 1,180 metres in the area of the former municipality of La Perrière. The Chemin du Moulin connects the hamlet of Villaflou, where a mill has been preserved, with La Nouvaz and its chapel. The Sainte-Marguerite Chapel in La Nouvaz was built in 1612 on land donated by the residents in 1598. Its Baroque altarpiece and colourful statues add a distinctive art-historical perspective to the area’s history.
The difference between the routes is clear: the Chemin de Villarnard leads to a mountain hamlet considered a testament to local cultural heritage; the Chemin du Moulin connects Villaflou and its preserved mill with La Nouvaz and its chapel. Plan your visit according to which of these destinations you would like to explore.
Discover more destinations: Aigueblanche, Modane, Landry, Saint-Alban-Leysse, Saint-Jean-De-Maurienne, Grésy-Sur-Aix, Saint-Etienne-De-Cuines, Saint-Martin-De-Belleville.
For the broader travel guide: Savoie.
