The development of a 2.7 km-long greenway in Puy-Saint-Vincent, in the French Alps, links the various hamlets of the village while highlighting its rich natural, cultural and built heritage.
- 13 June 2019
This project will considerably improve links between the hamlets of the village and will be available free of charge to all users, residents and holidaymakers; it will also be available in all seasons, since in winter it will become a snowshoeing and/or cross-country skiing trail. It is being implemented in close collaboration with the Parc des Ecrins, socio-professionals, the Centre Briançonnais de Géologie Alpine (Briançonnais Centre of Alpine Geology), cultural associations and the tourist office. It is therefore a wonderful tourist diversification project focused on highlighting the local heritage.
The project aims to secure and alleviate modes of transport in the municipality of Puy-Saint-Vincent, while showcasing the heritage and centres of interest.
Puy-Saint-Vincent is a small village located in the Hautes-Alpes department and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The municipality is made up of a group of villages, with the built-up areas intended for tourists grouped around the two ski resorts. From the valley, two roads provide access to the villages and station 1400, with a road subsequently leading up to station 1600.
A pleasant place for walking
The project resulted in the creation of a gentle route using all the possibilities of this mountain territory. Located in a belvedere, 1,400 metres from Puy-Saint-Vincent, one of which is as an exhibition centre for traditional tools and painting. This greenway also enhances other elements of the built heritage, such as housing, the communal oven, canals, old walls and fountains.
The path starts from the Chapelle des Prés (Sainte-Marie-Magdeleine), passes in front of the Chapelle Saint-Roch, the oven, the Sainte-Marthe church and the library, and then finishes at the Chapelle Saint-Romain. It also provides access to the Narreyroux chapel.
The treatment of the soil with natural materials, the restoration of footbridges and the installation of signposts help people of all generations to make use of this cultural path. The information panels on geology and flora are intended for tourists, but also for the local population and young schoolchildren in order to raise their awareness of the need to preserve their heritage.
For users, it is also an opportunity to discover and determine the nature of rocks and to learn how to read sedimentary rocks. The greenway also helps preserve the flora and develop opportunities for walkers to both contemplate and photograph it.
A route for all seasons
This project strengthens the existing snowshoe and mountain bike routes and enriches the activities offered by the inter-municipal tourism office. In addition, it benefits tourists visiting the three hotels and the campsite it serves, as well as residents who can now enjoy secure access to the town hall, the tourist office, the library and the Maison des clubs et associations.
The project was carried out by a local project manager and road companies, various networks, and green spaces in the area in collaboration with the Parc National des Ecrins.
This has resulted in job creation.
Total investment and European funding
A total of EUR 437 460 was invested in the "Works to enhance the value of the natural and cultural heritage – development of a greenway" project. The European Regional Development Fund contributed EUR 174 984 under the ERDF interregional programme for the Alps (POIA) for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority of "Energy Union and Climate".