Hiking - Between the monolith of Sardières and the Chappe telegraph

A tour through the forest in discovery of the geological and historical heritage

The scent of pine and the pale-coloured rock are evocative of the South, so much that one could almost hear the guitar of Nino Ferrer. Here the Maurienne marks the place of transition between the Northern Alps and those of the South. A walk in these adret forests is soothing, almost surprising, when the Monolith suddenly rises at the corner of a bend, leaving nothing but vertical drops. A lunch break at the Chappe telegraph invites the observer to fly over the multitude of peaks at more than 3,000 m forming the border chain with Italy. Perhaps you will spare a thought for those men charged with operating the telegraph who were stationed in this place, for days, scanning the horizon, like Giovanni Drogo awaiting the enemy in “The desert of the Tartars”.

This hike stays within the mid-mountain. The route is marked but some sections are not on the IGN map. Take appropriate footwear. The viewpoint from the Chappe telegraph overlooks the unsecured cliffs. The route enters the heart of the protected area.