Notre Dame des Vernettes

A great walk with a difference

START: Nancroix
FINISH: Nancroix
APPROX DISTANCE: 2 miles
APPROX TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes

Having said what I did in my previous post, there are still some remnants of settlement in this valley, and sometimes they offer great viewpoints as well as brilliant places to visit in and of themselves. This is one such example: a lovely chapel which goes by the name of Notre Dame des Vernettes.


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The walk begins at Nancroix, a small alpine village which has the seemingly ubiquitous quality of blending  the old and new: old wooden farmhouses sit next to recently renovated modern chalets. Ascend up the road, passed the little chapel, and then cross the bridge over the river and onto the dirt road. Follow this road round (with the farmhouse on your left) until you come to a smaller footpath and an accompanying signpost. Take this path, passing one of the many wooden crosses which litter the hillside, until you come to another fork.

Here, one of the paths heads over the river and zigzags up through the forest to the chapel. The other path - also going to the chapel - is steeper but is more direct and has the advantage of being out in the open for the duration of the walk. Therefore, I suggest taking the latter.

This path goes steeply up the hillside, but the view begins to open up behind you, as more of the peaks pop up above the forest of the opposing hillside. This path soon takes you to the hamlet of Pracompuet, which unlike Nancroix appears to be made up entirely of small farmhouses. Head passed the first of these and you will come across a signpost. Head up the hill in the direction the signpost is pointing, through the makeshift gate (a plank on a wall - quite ingenious).

The path from here continues steeply up the hillside, a cacophony of crickets accompanying your ascent. Persevere, however, and you will hit another dirt road. This is the last leg of the ascent: the road winds itself along in front of the chapel (the chapel itself sits tantalizingly above you) and through the adjacent woodland, taking you on a gentle ascent to the top. Soon, the chapel looms into view.

Notre Dame des Vernettes

I must say I have never seen a mountain chapel like this one: while most – even catholic ones such as this – are quite modest, the Notre Dame des Vernettes is whitewashed so that it shimmers in the afternoon sun, with ornate decorations on its top.

Inside it is even more grand, some may argue even bordering on the gaudy. Every inch of wall-space inside the chapel is brightly coloured and filled with pictures of everything from Christ to saints to angels, and it is worth sitting in one of the (comparatively simple) benches just to ponder how much the artists crammed in to what is still only a small mountain chapel (like the TARDIS, however, it does feel bigger on the inside).

If you do not hike to gaze at pictures of the Virgin Mary, however, then do not be put off: there is beautiful mountain scenery here too. Straight across the valley from you is the iconic Sommet de Bellecote, with one of its many glaciers draped across it, shining in the sun. The pyramidal peak to its left is l'Aliet: it is a constant point of reference in this valley and you can see why. And to your right are the yellow cliffs of the Aigilles de Russe, one of many sets of cliffs in the area so expansive they have been given their own name.

This walk therefore offers something not only for conventional hillwalkers but also those who are looking for something different, a bit of history perhaps. Both the man-made beauty and its natural counterpart entwine here to create a neat little package for you to take in. After you have done so, retrace your steps back to Nancroix.

A great little walk with a difference. Recommended.