Alpine pasture milking and heritage in Albiez

Description

In the heart of the Maurienne valley in Savoie, I invite you to meet the people working in the mountain pastures. You will immerse yourself in the life and heritage of a mountain village, then set off for a walk in the alpine pastures to understand part of the local way of life.

This outing is organized in collaboration with FACIM (Fondation pour l'Art et la Culture Internationale en Montagne), SEA (Société d'Économie Alpestre) and the Syndicat de défense du Beaufort.

After a visit to a characteristic site in the village of Le Plan, the main town of Albiez, we will take your vehicle up to the mountain pastures to share in the life of a mountain farmer at milking time, harvesting the fruit of his labor.

After a short 15-minute walk and plenty of explanations about the life of men and women in the mountains during the summer season, I'll show you the landscape and the various mountain ranges that surround us: Vanoise, Belledonne, Grandes Rousses, Aiguilles d'Arves and the main peaks.

At an altitude of 2000 meters, at the foot of the majestic Aiguilles d'Arves, the mountain pasture comes alive in the late afternoon. The cows are grouped together, and we'll watch them being milked in the presence of the farmers, who are passionate about their work.

I will then introduce you to the different types of Beaufort cheese, the particularities of their manufacture, and the history of this ancestral tradition and its evolution to the present day.

During the tour, you'll taste warm milk from the milking and Beaufort cheese made at the Arves valley dairy cooperative.

For gourmets, I also offer summertime hikes with fondue in the Maurienne alpine pastures, as well as gourmet walks with Beaufort tasting (also available in winter and spring with this milking tour in Albiez).

Program

• As part of FACIM (Fondation pour l'Art et la Culture Internationale en Montagne) activities, we offer group outings every Thursday from mid-July to mid-August for groups of 2 to 15 people.
• Meeting point: Place Opinel or at the shuttle/bus stop at "Col du Mollard" in the village of Albiez-Montrond (73300), about an hour's drive from Chambéry or Albertville.
• Schedule: 4.30pm to 7.30pm.
• Discover the traces of human occupation in Albiez since Neolithic times, followed by a walk through the mountain pastures to meet the farmers while they milk their cows. Tasting of milk and Beaufort.
• Price: 12€ for children aged 7 to 14. Free for children under 7.

The price includes

• Supervision by the mountain leader, a Savoie Mont Blanc Heritage Guide with a passion for mountain agriculture and agro-pastoralism. Also a referent for the Savoie cheese route and grandson of one of the first three directors of the Arves valley dairy cooperative.
• Milk and Beaufort tasting.

The price does not include

• Return transport to the meeting place in Albiez-Montrond.
• Return transfer to the site where the activity takes place.
• Your personal hiking equipment.
• Snacks.
• Drinks.
• Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".

Accommodation

Albiez-Montrond offers a wide range of accommodation options to suit all tastes and habits. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further information.

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