Montsapey

Montsapey combines mountain hikes with themed trails and buildings that offer insights into the region’s cultural history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Montsapey, these different highlights can help you decide what kind of trip you want: a mountain hike, a walk with a historical theme, or a closer look at religious and agricultural architecture.

Hiking trails and mountain panoramas

The Sentier des Alpages is a long but easy balcony trail connected to the Tour de la Lauzière. Along the way, it passes alpine lakes. Lac de Clartan lies below the Lauzière ridges; with patience and quiet, you may spot marmots and chamois there. Sightings are not guaranteed. The landscape thus combines a specific place for possible wildlife sightings with views of the mountain ridges.

The hike to Grand Arc starts in Tioulévé or at Pont des Rouelles and offers panoramic views across the entire Alpine massif. Seasonal road or trail conditions may affect access, and visibility also depends on the weather. Another option is the Sentier de montée à Montsapey: it leads from Randens to Montsapey, reaches the Chapelle de Montsapey, and offers views of the Lauzière, Belledonne and the Bauges. These named destinations and viewpoints provide different points of reference for planning your hikes.

Trails with history and special themes

The Sentier Nature et Souvenir is a walking trail accessible to everyone that tells the story of the harsh life Montsapey’s residents once led. It passes through pastures and beech forest before rejoining the descent of the Circuit du Lac Noir towards Tioulévé. This trail focuses both on the landscape and on the story of local life.

The Circuit du Moulin introduces different ways of using water for energy and leads to a mill that also housed a sawmill. The Sentier du Trou du Loup follows old paths towards Randens and Bonvillaret. Along the trail is the Rocher fendu, a natural rock fissure. The route also explores forestry work—logging and hauling timber—as well as predator control using a wolf trap. The trails thus differ in their themes: water and mill use, former living conditions, or forestry and predator control.

Churches, chapel and architecture

The church of Saint-Barthélemy features numerous polychrome wooden statues created by the Gilardi brothers. It also has trompe-l’œil wall paintings on a blue background, created by P. Moretti in 1891. The statues and paintings offer two different ways to appreciate the church’s interior: its brightly colored wooden figures and its illusionistic wall paintings.

The Chapelle de l’Immaculée Conception was built between 1897 and 1900 on a rocky outcrop and offers panoramic views over the Combe de Savoie. By contrast, the Chalet du Tour highlights alpine architecture and agricultural use. The building stands at an elevation of 1,434 meters, south of the Lauzière massif. Formerly an alpine farm, it was used to make and store cow’s tomme and goat cheese, and is considered an authentic example of mountain architecture in the Maurienne Valley. Baking bread in the communal oven is also part of the visitor program in Montsapey.

Discover more destinations

Novalaise: Novalaise, Myans, Ruffieux, Attignat-Oncin, Aussois, Modane, La Trinité, Mouxy.

Back to the regional travel overview: Savoie.