Col des Fours from Manchet

7 points of interest

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  Architecture

  The hamlet of Manchet

  This small group of abandoned houses is the only alpine hamlet of Val d´Isère. Ÿou will notice that these buildings are built of local stone. Wood, which is a rare material at this altitude, is used only for framework and woodwork. Its use was reserved solely for the summer. Currently, it is part of the Tutel family’s mountain pasture, which they don’t use in their farming activity. The municipality of Val d´Isère has launched a project to renovate these buildings in order to bring them back to life.

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  Pastoralism

  The ramaz

  "The ""ramaz"" is an old sheep pen made of dry stone walls, which was used to enclose the sheep for the night. Ÿou will notice that the vegetation consists of a single species: the alpine docks or écot for the Savoyards or monk´s rhubarb. The large thick, tough leaves were used to keep the butter cool."

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  Flora

  The arnica montana

  The grasslands are dotted with little rays of sunshine. The arnica montana resembles a slightly dishevelled yellow daisy. Its medicinal properties have been known since antiquity. Not to be confused with the Senecio doronicum! The arnica has foliage on its plants, a rosette laid flat on the ground.

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  Fauna

  The alpine accentor

  The alpine accentor (Prunella collaris) is far from shy. It is the most easily observable of the mountain sparrows. It spends most of its time on the ground pecking at insects, or perching regularly on the stones. From afar, it looks dull in colour but draws attention with its red flanks. But close up, its plumage appears variegated with grey-brown on top, a broadly striped black back, white breast with black mottling, flanks with red sparks on a white background and two rows of white dots on the wings.

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  Flora

  Saxifraga aizoides

  The edge of the stream is blanketed by a magnificent carpet of yellow flowers which are called the yellow mountain saxifrage, or Saxifraga aizoides. Look closely at these beautiful little yellow stars. The plant is also particular for hosting an extraordinary guest: the small Apollo (Parnassius phœbus). This small butterfly, white with two red eyespots, is protected. It only lays its eggs on these saxifrages. The fleshy leaves will then serve as a meal for the butterfly caterpillars.

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  Flora

  The glacier buttercup

  In the small streams and seepages you will find garlands of small pink and white flowers: the glacier buttercup (Ranunculus glacialis). The plant is rather small, but the flowers are large. They are white and turn pink, sometimes even violet. As the name suggests, it likes wetlands fed by the meltwater from the glaciers or névés. It also holds the record as the highest rising flowering plant in Europe at 4,275 m.

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  Viewpoint

  The Col des Fours

  From the Col des Fours (2,976 m in altitude), you can enjoy an extraordinary view of the glaciers and summits bordering Italy, from west to east: the Albaron (3,637 m in altitude) and the glacier of Vallonnet, the Petite Ciamarella (3465 m in altitude), the Grande Ciamarella (3,676 m in altitude) and its glacier of Évettes, the Pointe de Bonneval (3,320 m in altitude) followed by the glacier of Grand Méan, the Roc and the glacier of Mulinet (3,442 m in altitude) and the glacier of Sources de l’Arc... and finally the pretty Lac du Grand Fond under your feet, from the eponymous glacier which has now disappeared.