The Monolith
Unusual and even bizarre!
Nature and time have sculpted this rock of cargneule, a compact and hard dolomitic limestone that has resisted the erosion suffered on this site.
A breathtaking spectacle caused by the geology that we come to see from afar and that is among the highest monoliths on the planet.
The nature of the mountaineer being to climb on any rock which presents itself to him, the Monolith was climbed for the first time in 1957 by Michel Paquier.
Climbing it has become a must for climbers who love difficulty and thrills.
This site of the Monolith is a mine of curiosities and a landmark! In this forest, you can work with your family to get wood for heating, you can look for morel mushrooms in the spring, and all the excuses are good for pleasant walks all year round!
Enter the Vanoise National Park
It is also in this very special place at the foot of the Vanoise massif that the inauguration ceremony of the Vanoise National Park took place on June 26, 1965. This was the first of the French national parks designed to protect an exceptional fauna and flora.
The four kilometers that lead from the village of Aussois to the Monolith of Sardières (indeed, the monolith is on the commune of Val Cenis Sollières-Sardières) are practicable in all seasons and by all means: car (from May to November), bicycle, mountain bike, scooter, fatbike, on foot, ski.
A must for a winter walk
In winter, the road becomes a cross-country ski trail and leads to the village of Sardières where you will find part of the cross-country ski trails, the cross-country ski foyer, a snack room and a restaurant.
The Nordic domain of the Monolithe between Aussois and Sardières allows you to practice alternative and skating cross-country skiing on 39 kms of marked and maintained trails. Ideal for beginners, ideal also for training.
For a full day snowshoeing trip, the Piste Blanche is a must! Starting from the Croix d'Aussois (1 km after the village of Aussois in the direction of Sardières), this trail is 7.5 km long and has a positive vertical drop of 215 m. It is groomed and marked.
What better way to recharge your batteries in the middle of this generous nature, the white of the snow, the blue of the sky, the green of the forest, the silence and the soft heat of the sun, the ideal altitude of 1 500m...
When art marries nature
For a few years, in the forest of the Monolith, it is not rare to cross a man in ATV, chainsaw in the backpack... but where does he go? but what does he do?
He is not a lumberjack but an artist who gives free rein to his creativity by using natural essences on site.
Serge Couvert, sculptor from Aussie, shapes trees on the theme of family and happiness.
What a real pleasure to follow the "Path of sculptures", this land-art itinerary where each work has an evocative name: "Fraternity", "Freedom", "Panic at the top", "A moai in winter", "Tototte"...
An original hike with a visual and sensory discovery that lets the mind wander in the forest.
On foot, mountain bike or snowshoes on the forest paths, you will discover the Arponts plateau (alpine chalets and vast meadow on which you will end up after passing through Jomier) then the Fournette spring and the Chappe telegraph (part of the first mechanically designed aerial and optical telegraphy system operating from station to station)