Short tour of Courchevel's secret hamlets
BOZEL
Short tour of Courchevel's secret hamlets
Easy
Difficulty2h30
Duration19,1km
Distance+758m
Positive Elevation-758m
Negative ElevationLoop
Course typeEmbed this item to access it offline
The Courchevel - Bozel Valley is famous for its ski resorts which form part of the largest ski area in the world. But this circuit takes you through twenty or so of its small villages and hamlets. Set off from the pretty village of Bozel, along quiet roads and tracks, up to Courchevel le Praz where you'll find a natural lake with amenities laid out as well as a ski jumping hill! Take care to control your speed on your return as there is a very steep descent between Saint-Bon-Tarentaise and Le Grenier
Description
Between Bozel and Courchevel, go sightseeing among twenty or so little villages and hamlets. Set off from the pretty village of Bozel, along quiet roads and tracks, up to Courchevel le Praz where you'll find a lake with amenities laid out as well as a ski jumping hill! Take care to control your speed on your return as there is a very steep descent between Saint-Bon and Le Grenier.
Follow the blue waymarks Hameaux Secrets.
E-bike rental shops:
Follow the blue waymarks Hameaux Secrets.
E-bike rental shops:
Génération Road Trip (Sport 2000 La Cage O Sport)
Immeuble Les Soldanelles
73350 BOZEL
+33 (4) 79 55 00 39.
Espace VTT Bozel
Opening in September 2020.
ESPACE VTT
Alpinium
Le Praz
73120 COURCHEVEL
+33 (0)6.18.08.18.41
Espace VTT
Croisette Courchevel 1850
73120 Courchevel
+33 (0)6 18 08 18 41
- Departure : Bozel Town Hall, 73350 Bozel
- Arrival : Bozel Town Hall, 73350 Bozel
- Towns crossed : BOZEL, SAINT-BON-TARENTAISE, and LA PERRIERE
Altimetric profile
Recommandations
Rando Vanoise has been designed to help you pick and choose your outings, but cannot be held liable where they are concerned. The mountain offers up a wide range of routes and trails for cyclists of all levels, but remember, it is a living, unpredictable environment and it is important that you head out suitably equipped. Ask advice from cycle rental operators.
If in doubt, you can take an introductory lesson in how to ride an electric bike with an instructor.
If you see a herd ahead, slow down and go round it. If there is a patou, a guard dog, climb down from your bike and walk, pushing it alongside you. Avoid making any sudden or aggressive gestures towards the dog and move away from the herd slowly and calmly. The dog will only be checking that you do not pose a threat to its herd. Respect the parkland and close gates behind you after you've gone through them.
The mountain is living, please respect it by staying on the paths and tracks.
If in doubt, you can take an introductory lesson in how to ride an electric bike with an instructor.
If you see a herd ahead, slow down and go round it. If there is a patou, a guard dog, climb down from your bike and walk, pushing it alongside you. Avoid making any sudden or aggressive gestures towards the dog and move away from the herd slowly and calmly. The dog will only be checking that you do not pose a threat to its herd. Respect the parkland and close gates behind you after you've gone through them.
The mountain is living, please respect it by staying on the paths and tracks.
Information desks
Transport
Train services run as far as Moûtiers-Salins-Brides-les-Bains. Find out more at: www.oui.sncf.com
You can then get a coach to Bozel.
Find out more at: www.transavoie.com
Have you also thought about car sharing?
You can then get a coach to Bozel.
Find out more at: www.transavoie.com
Have you also thought about car sharing?
Access and parking
From Moûtiers, take the RD915 road towards the Bozel Valley as far as Bozel.
Parking :
Cemetery car park, 73350 Bozel
10 points of interest
WaterThe Doron de Bozel
Its name means “stream” in Savoyard patois, and it’s at the origin of a great many of the valley’s activities, including, hydroelectricity upstream and recreation (rafting and fishing) downstream.
HistoryLes Moulins hamlet
This hamlet gets its name from the mills that used to be powered by the stream here, long ago. Basins that were used as by-pass channels for the stream water can still be seen today. Admire the outside of its chapel, dedicated to St Agatha too, which was rebuilt in 1659. The remarkable archaeological site of Le Chenêt des Pierres is located around this hamlet: in 1909 the first pottery was discovered there, in a badger's sett. It is one of the oldest finds in the Tarentaise area, harking back to 2500 BC.- History
Le Fay hamlet
This enchanting hamlet is one of the "Hameaux des Travers". The villages located at an altitude of between 860m and 970m on the North side of Saint-Bon Valley are so-called because they have been built across (travers in French) the northern slopes and were the first of the municipality's hamlets to be populated. Le Fay is the nearest hamlet to Bozel and set amidst woodland. It harbours a 17th century chapel dedicated to St Isidore, the patron saint of farmers, and to Our Lady of the Presentation. The hamlet's name perhaps refers to a place planted with fayards, a Savoyard term for beech trees. - History
Le Grenier hamlet
This is also one of the "Hameaux des Travers". It is one of the largest hamlets across the valley bottom. St Joseph's Chapel (17th century) stands at the village entrance. As you meander through its lanes, admire the myriad barn-stables and renovated houses. Families often had two properties: the village house for living in and the barn-stables for housing animals, and this is one of the distinctive features of this valley. The hamlet's name (loft) comes from the presence of these barns. There is a lovely view to admire over Bozel and Le Grand Bec (3,398m) mountain. - History
Le Fontanil hamlet
This is the only hamlet across the North side to have a rectangular central square. It was most likely created following the demolition of several houses and barn-stables. There is still a bachal (water basin) in this square, which gave villagers and their animals direct access to water. The hamlet also has a bread oven dating back to 1908 and is home to Notre-Dame de la Visitation Chapel. Built between 1857 and 1860 at the top of the village, it was knocked down then rebuilt at the bottom of the hamlet in 1987. Moving it meant that the road leading up to Courchevel could be widened. - History
Le Grand and Le Petit Carrey hamlets
As the first populated site in Saint-Bon, Le Grand Carrey has the oldest chapel in the municipality, dedicated to St Catherine (predates 1584). She is the patron saint of seamstresses, wool spinners, clothiers and barbers. Her feast day is on 25 November. It was in this hamlet, not far from the road used in Roman times to travel from Moûtiers to Bozel, that a pot filled with ancient bronze coins was discovered. A few metres further up, you'll reach Le Petit Carrey which still has its orchard and traces of old hayfields. With orchards situated so close to their villages, locals were able to eat fruit and nuts every day (apple, pear, plum, cherry and walnut trees) and harvest the hay that provided fodder for animals in winter. - History
La Perrière Saint-Jean hamlet
St Jean Baptiste's Church is included in the "Escapades Baroques des Alpes" initiative, aimed at showcasing Baroque heritage in the Alps. From this village, the lord governed the territory of La Perrière parish which was supervised by the Count-Archbishop of Tarentaise. The lord's residence can still be recognised today: look for a stately home bearing the date 1679.
You'll perhaps be surprised to see a 1940 blockhouse on leaving the hamlet, which resembles the one opposite, in Montagny. These were structures along the Alpine Maginot Line to protect the upper Bozel Valley from Italian invasion via the Vanoise and Palet mountain passes, as well as the lower valley via the Petit Saint-Bernard pass.
Church open to visitors in the afternoons. - History
Villaflou hamlet
Quintessential hamlet. Flowing through Villaflou, the old Roman estate of Fludualdus,is La Closettaz stream. The hamlet's guardian saint is St Anne, whose chapel stands opposite the renovated mill. The mill was used to grind grain for turning into flour (mainly rye, barley and oat flour). - History
La Nouvaz hamlet
The name of this hamlet refers to "newly cleared land". It is home to St Marguerite's Chapel, built in 1612 on land donated by residents. The hamlet's patron saint is celebrated on 20 July. Traditionally, she is the patron saint of pregnant women.
In Latin, "Margaritae" means crown of pearls. You can have a peep inside through a gate. The façade on one of the houses in this hamlet is decorated with milk churns and a hay or lumber cart. - History
Le Freney hamlet
Next to La Perrière is Le Freney (1,190m), which is surrounded by orchards and still harbours a chapel dedicated to St Anne (1680). She is the patron saint of joiners and carpenters. On her feast day, 26 July, artists have often portrayed her giving her daughter Mary reading lessons. The hamlet's name perhaps comes from a place planted with ash trees.