Au pays de la Meije (Circuit n°16)
The village of La Grave, a temple of mountaineering and off-piste skiing, is known throughout the world. However, this village was not connected to the rest of the world by road until the second half of the 19th century, due to a particularly devious route.
Departing from Bourg d'Oisans, this circuit is approximately 85 km round trip.
As you travel along it, you will easily imagine the difficulty in planning such a route.
↘The Glacier Cable Cars of La Meije will transport you to the heart of the Girose glacier, at an altitude of 3 m to discover the ice cave. The sculptors have fashioned an ephemeral world in the turquoise and frozen solitude of the glacier. Ephemeral because the glacier moves 200 m per year and breaks the sculptures which must then be reworked the following summer.
Once descended from the magical heights adjoining La Meije, stop in the village. You will be able to see ↘the church of La Grave whose origins are lost in the mists of time. However, clues reveal that it must have been built around the 11th century. Built of tuff, it overlooks the Romanche valley. The cemetery surrounding the church is very moving.
A 3 km of La Grave, in Villar-d'Arène, you will discover ↘the mill and ↘the bread oven. Two visits steeped in history. Through these two buildings, the whole life of the region is told to you. The locals tell you these stories, full of real-life anecdotes that circulate from family to family. Of course, you will visit the miller's home and the kneading room. A 1953 film retraces the tradition of boiled bread in the oven. A warm and lively visit.
Villar-d'Arène is also home to crafts. ↘Aniram Art Couture works in her workshop with fabrics from around the world, recycled materials and she mixes styles and materials.
A little after La Grave, gain some height to better see the glaciers by going to the hamlets of Traverses (le Chazelet, Terrasses, les Hières and Ventelon) which seem to emerge from the past.
As you travel along it, you will easily imagine the difficulty in planning such a route.
↘The Glacier Cable Cars of La Meije will transport you to the heart of the Girose glacier, at an altitude of 3 m to discover the ice cave. The sculptors have fashioned an ephemeral world in the turquoise and frozen solitude of the glacier. Ephemeral because the glacier moves 200 m per year and breaks the sculptures which must then be reworked the following summer.
Once descended from the magical heights adjoining La Meije, stop in the village. You will be able to see ↘the church of La Grave whose origins are lost in the mists of time. However, clues reveal that it must have been built around the 11th century. Built of tuff, it overlooks the Romanche valley. The cemetery surrounding the church is very moving.
A 3 km of La Grave, in Villar-d'Arène, you will discover ↘the mill and ↘the bread oven. Two visits steeped in history. Through these two buildings, the whole life of the region is told to you. The locals tell you these stories, full of real-life anecdotes that circulate from family to family. Of course, you will visit the miller's home and the kneading room. A 1953 film retraces the tradition of boiled bread in the oven. A warm and lively visit.
Villar-d'Arène is also home to crafts. ↘Aniram Art Couture works in her workshop with fabrics from around the world, recycled materials and she mixes styles and materials.
A little after La Grave, gain some height to better see the glaciers by going to the hamlets of Traverses (le Chazelet, Terrasses, les Hières and Ventelon) which seem to emerge from the past.
Opening
| Opening hours from January 01 to December 31, 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Monday | Open |
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Open on Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
Services
Activities on site
- Tourist routes