Chemin des villages et hameaux d'Entremont

The Val d'Entremont is primarily known for the Great Saint Bernard Pass but also hosts a number of historic villages and hamlets that are very well preserved and full of charm. This hike leads through the most beautiful and noteworthy localities: Liddes, Chandonne, Commeire, La Rosière, Chamoille d'Orsières, and La Douay.

The Via Francigena, one of the oldest and most famous hiking routes through the valley, is part of the historic pilgrim path from Canterbury to Rome. Our hike, however, takes a slightly higher route through sunny alpine pastures, forests, and sleepy mountain villages off the beaten path.

The hike starts in Liddes, a small village with a 13th-century church and a small but attractive museum. The next stage is Chandonne, a hamlet on a sunny terrace at 1,454 m above sea level—a place of heavenly peace and tranquility.

The localities shine with a rich architectural heritage in the form of traditional houses, chalets, and barns. Commeire is a prime example: a small hamlet transformed into an innovative and sustainable tourism project called "Montagne Alternative." It welcomes tourists and seminar groups and serves as a venue for various events focusing on a sustainable lifestyle.

The hamlet holds another surprise: an underground fortress built between 1940 and 1943 to accommodate more than 140 soldiers who sought to defend the strategic position of this valley. The complex has been decommissioned for years but can now be visited by the public. Parts of it can even be rented for events.

The next village, La Rosière, attracts pilgrims from all over the world, not least because it is the childhood home of Maurice Tornay. The Roman Catholic priest worked on missions in China and Tibet and was beatified in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. His birth house can be visited by the public.

Hiking highlights:

• Beautiful and well-preserved village with traditional architecture and historic charm.
• Extensive and beautiful panoramas over the Val d'Entremont and on the Mont Blanc massif.