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Insider’s Guide
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To do
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The Maurienne Valley, on the Italian doorstep, is
abundant with lakes, mountains, forests, and
pastures. Discover the cultural
resources, heritage and cuisine of a whole valley.
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Esseillon
Forts
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Baroque Church
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Turin Royal Palace
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Sightseeing
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Turin - via the Frejus Tunnel in an hour, or
the Mont Cenis mountain pass. Superb Baroque
architecture, excellent museums and the
futuristic Antonelliana Mole, in the home of
the famous Turin Shroud and The FIAT company.
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Baroque Churches. The 3 villages - Avrieux,
Villarodin and Bourget - are the proud owners
of numerous churches and chapels built by their
inhabitants in days of old. These shrines are a
tribute to their faith, but also a way in which
to express their conception of beauty and art.
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St Jean de Maurienne – Famous for Opinel
knives (examples can be seen in the Victoria
& Albert museum), the story is displayed in
a former factory. A 6th century Cathedral,
built to receive the relics of St Jean the
Baptiste, and an 18th century Bishops Palace
which holds regular exhibitions and houses a
museum, and the Tourist Office.
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The stone engravings of Aussois - The
engravings, discovered in 1977, testify to
human occupancy on the passageways to Italy
between the Neolithic era and the Iron Age.
They were made on glacier-eroded stone slabs by
pecking or chiselling the rock with stone
utensils.
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The Esseillon Forts - Built for military
purposes, these fortifications collectively
formed a barrier for the entire valley and
testify to a rich and eventful historical past.
Built by the Sardinians between 1817 and 1834
to protect Piedmont and Europe from French
invasions, they illustrate Marquis de
Montalembert's defensive theories.
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Food
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With such wide unspoilt spaces, lamb rearing is
widespread. Cheeses such as the Beaufort, Tomme de
Savoie, and the Bleu de Bonneval are still made
traditionally and can be found in many of the
villages, with working farms and co-operatives to see
the manufacturing process, and sample their wares. Le
Farci, which is made of cabbage and pork, should be
tried after an active day!
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The Maurienne Valley's must see
Discover the Savoie-Maurienne with the
Latitude-Gallimard internet series.
Click here
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For more information:
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Rhone Alpes Tourist Office
Click on logo for details
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Savoie Haute-Savoie
Click on logo for details
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To book call 0844 576 0170 or
summer@peakretreats.co.uk
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