Unmissable in Cœur de Tarentaise

Independently or on a guided tour, explore the historic town centre and stroll along the pretty criss-crossing cobbled streets. Pay a visit to the Museum of Popular Tradition to discover the local customs, or the History and Archaeology Museum to get a better understanding of the town. Don’t miss the old bridge, one of the town’s emblematic sites, Saint-Pierre Cathedral, the former archbishop’s palace, the riverside ‘barrioz’…

Also discover the mural frescoes on the Street Art trail, livening up the town’s walls: they’re real works of art. A dedicated trail will reveal around thirty of them, a real festival of colour!

Allow a whole day and enjoy lunch in one of the town’s numerous restaurants.

On Tuesday or Friday morning, head to the market to discover delicious local flavours (cheeses, cured and dried meats, honey…) in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere!

A bit of background: In January 1721, a pilgrim dressed as a monk came to the valley. He was from Aragon and was on his way to Rome. He stopped over at St Martin and the Belleville locals tried to dissuade him from continuing his route through the snow, but he told them that he had made a vow to never go backwards. In the springtime, he was found dead on this site. The snow had melted around his body, which was surrounded by flowers. He was buried here, and people came to pray at his tomb. In 1730, after one miraculous recovery, the Archbishop of Moûtiers ordered that his still-intact body be transferred to underneath a stone slab at St Martin church, where he remains to this day. Where does the true story end and the legend begin? That’s for you to decide. But here in late April, it’s hardnot to think of it whenever you see a carpet of crocus flowers…

A 17th century masterpiece, Notre Dame de la Vie Sanctuary watches over the Belleville Valley. Boasting one of the oldest baroque altarpieces in the Tarentaise Valley, it is a vestige of the Savoie region’s artistic and religious revival of the 17th century: a brilliant illustration of the richness and technical expertise of baroque art. Listed as a Historic Monument in 1949, this recently renovated baroque art jewel is the most venerated sanctuary in the Tarentaise.

In days gone by, huge crowds used to gather there to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption on the 15th of August and early September.

Constructed between 1635 and 1680, this Nicolas Deschamps-designed sanctuaryis built in the unusual shape of a Greek cross, with a central dome, pendentives and small lanterns, and resplendentchapels. Created in 1679, the frescoes are the work of Savoyard painter Nicolas Oudeard, depicting scenes from the Old Testament.

Ornamented with gold and sculpted decoration, the high altar altarpiece was created by Piedmonteseartist  Jean-Marie Molino and depicts the life of the Virgin Mary. A discreet sliding door, embellished with a bas-relief of the Virgin and Child, conceals the recess in which the statue, thought to be miraculous, is kept...

The secondary altarpieces are simpler, but the one on the right, dating from 1636, appears to be the oldest of the three and could well be the oldest in the Savoie region!

It’s also worth spending some time admiring the rich collection of votive offerings on display at the entrance: through them, we can understand the many difficulties of life for 17th century mountain dwellers, as well as their hopes and prayers.

Free to access, you can visit the sanctuary all year round - a grill separates the nave from the choir.

In tourist season, guided visits are organised by the FACIM.