In search of the Fort du Truc garrison

The cooperative in Bourg Saint Maurice brings together 52 producers who are wholeheartedly committed to making AOP (protected designation of origin) Beaufort cheese.
One of the Cooperative’s buildings is entirely given over to showcasing this outstanding cheese with an exhibition area, shop and tasting area.
You’ll gain an insight into the long-standing history of this cheese. A few dates at a glance: Back in Roman times, Pliny praised the different cheeses from Tarentaise and extolled the quality of the dairy cows. In the 19th century, agriculture and livestock rearing were still the main sources of livelihood for communities in the Haute-Tarentaise Valley. In 1888, the Herd-book of the Tarine breed was compiled (official description of the characteristics of cow breeds). In 1894, a cheese-dairy school was founded in Bourg Saint Maurice to train students in the cheese-making trade. In each hamlet and in the village, livestock rearers grouped together to establish these cheese dairies, or fruitières, as they are known, to make cheese. The French name refers to the fruit of the common labour of a village or hamlet. From 1960 to 1964, an economic recession set in and agricultural produce struggled to sell. From 1964, part of the village’s cheese dairies closed and the whole of the municipality’s production was centralised at the main village’s cheese dairy, which was named Coopérative laitière de Haute-Tarentaise. It obtained the controlled designation of origin (now the AOP) for its Beaufort in 1968.
Free, unaccompanied tours of the site during the shop’s opening hours.
Tel.: +33 (0)4 79 07 08 28
fromagebeaufort.fr

E-bike rental shop:

GRAVITY LAB

297 Av. Marechal Leclerc
73700 Bourg Saint Maurice

+33 (0)4-79-40-05-54

Grandville and Mineurville get their names from the Latin root "villa", which means farming estate. Both hamlets were situated between the bottom of the valley and the mountain pastures of Lancevard, Céré, Combameinaz, Les Rochettes, Le Fornay and Forclaz lakes.
In the latter half of the 19th century, their large populations were heavily involved in helping to build the Le Truc and La Platte forts (1890-1894). These days, this village no longer has a year-round population. In 1945, Grandville saw a local tragedy unfold: that winter, more than 6 metres of snow fell, building up on the top slopes. On the night of 12th February, an avalanche hurtled down the steep slopes above the village, swallowing up three houses and three members of the same family lost their lives.

The blockhouse or surveillance fort of La Platte stands at an altitude of 2,000m. In the same way as the Vulmix and Le Truc forts, it formed part of the fortification system intended by the engineer Séré de Rivière. Up until World War II, a series of developments were added to upgrade it: a watch tower was built for firing and surveillance, as well as railings over 30m around the fort.
Sold by the army in the 1960s, it is now a private property closed to visitors.

When the Duchy of Savoy (Savoie) was annexed to France in 1860, the unification of Italy posed a new threat. In 1888 France established the Alpine troops as well as a protective system that ran from the Jura all the way down to Nice: the Séré de Rivière line. For the construction of the forts, emphasis was placed on large passes and natural outlets. Tarentaise Valley was particularly exposed. It could be accessed from the mountain passes of Le Petit Saint-Bernard, Mont-Cenis and L'Iseran, and preventing such free passage was therefore paramount. The plans for the Séré de Rivière system anticipated several structures. La Redoute Ruinée, built just above the mountain pass, provided it with direct protection.
This fort is supported by another three, with very specific purposes:
- Vulmix (1,000m), barring access
- Le Truc (1,573m), protection
- La Platte (2,000m), surveillance
Despite the distance between them, the three forts of Bourg-Saint-Maurice formed an integral protection and surveillance system.
Building work on the Fort du Truc began in 1890 to reinforce the action of the Vulmix Fort.
Sold by the army in the 1960s, it is now a private property closed to visitors.

This chapel dates back to the 1610s, according to the inscription on the façade. The ante-chancel and chancel are separated by a timber rood screen. The colourful altarpiece comprises a central panel depicting several patron saints.
St Margaret was the patron saint of pregnant women or women in labour. During the feast day for this patron saint, a great procession used to be held. After Mass, the village's families would serve a meal prepared in a large cauldron to the poor.

This old-fashioned coffee roasting workshop and museum unveil all the secrets of this green grain to you! Old-fashioned roasting on Wednesday and Saturday, starting at 10:30 in the morning.
Free to visit.
Tel.: +33 (0)9 51 23 24 87 | lorvert.net