• Sport

Builders' Path

Savoie Mont Blanc's choice

You are builders of the Forts of Esseillon in 1815, on the gargantuan project
launched by the King of Piedmont-Sardinia. Your mission: To guard against
French invasion, you must build five forts in just 15 years!

Sport Builders' Path Aussois

About

Departing from Aussois (73500)
Average length : 03h00
Total elevation gain : 350m
Vertical drop : 350m
Distance : 7.2km
Signed walking trail
Animals not allowed

It's not by chance that the Forts de l'Esseillon were built here! Built on a glacial
lock at the entrance to the vertiginous Arc Gorges, their role is to protect the
border and prevent French troops from passing through.
As you follow the trail that connects the five constructions, you'll be astonished
by the ingenuity of those who designed and built these walls. All along the
path, you'll come across reading tables that explain how such constructions
were built according to the principles of the Marquis de Montalembert.
Structured like a small village, Fort Victor-Emmanuel invites you to stroll
through its labyrinthine alleys. You'll get a glimpse of what it was like to be
a soldier in those days as you explore the various buildings that shaped their
everyday life: chapel, hospital, gunpowder factory, and even... prison and
cemetery! It can't have been fun all the time... But luckily, that's no longer
the case, as there are now a wide range of activities on offer at this fortress,
truly one of a kind in France.

Loop
Total elevation gain : 350m
Altitude max : 1480m
Vertical drop : 350m

Signs

Departmental signposting (PR)

Map references

Map and booklet "Haute Maurienne Vanoise. 103 walks and hikes - 38 trail routes. For all levels" (sold for €10 in Tourist Offices)

Topoguides references

Blue route no. 33

Further informations

Stone, Ground

    1 3

    To guide you in the field, consult the "step-by-step" directional diagram provided in pdf.

    Prices

    Free access.

    Reception

    Animals not allowed
    Languages of documentation : French
    Languages informatives signs : French
    Not adapted to strollers

    Period of practice

    All year round.

    Subject to favorable weather.

    Equipments
    • Parking
    • Public WC

    Access

    RD 215F Parking Fort Charles-Albert 73500 Aussois
    Departing from : Aussois (73500)
    Latitude : 45.222126 - Longitude : 6.742681

    I'm going by car: park in the parking lot near Fort Charles Albert and the Aussois soccer stadium.

    Information update on 19/04/2024 by Communauté de communes Haute Maurienne Vanoise