In Plancherine, religious history, local production and sites of natural interest stand side by side. The Cistercian abbey, historic buildings and the Tufière de Plancherine offer the area a range of points of interest.
Renting a holiday apartment in Plancherine can be part of planning your own stay.
Culture and history
The Cistercian abbey Abbaye Cistercienne Notre Dame de Tamié was founded in 1132 by Saint Pierre de Tarentaise. It is located on the border between Savoie and Haute-Savoie, on the eastern slope of the Massif des Bauges at an altitude of 900 metres.
The liturgy at the Abbaye Cistercienne Notre Dame de Tamié is open to everyone and is celebrated in French; Gregorian chant continues to play an important role there. The abbey also includes a cheese dairy, where around 400 kg of Tamié cheese is produced daily as an unpasteurised pressed cheese. The cheese is sold in the region, in France and online.
The present-day Église de Plancherine was built between 1840 and 1844 during the Sardinian period, on the site of a smaller former church. Despite damage caused by water ingress, its original interior decoration in coloured plaster is well preserved and is considered exceptional in the region.
The Tour Gaillarde served as the main residence of the abbots of Tamié for several centuries. What remains is a modest building regarded as a symbol of their seigneurial power over Plancherine.
Nature
The Tufière de Plancherine is a petrifying spring that forms a striking, vegetation-covered cascade. It can be seen from a viewing platform with information panels.
The Tufière de Plancherine is one of the continuously flowing tufa springs that often harbour specialised flora and an exceptional biotope; the precipitation of lime shapes the habitat.
The tufa spring can be reached on foot from the large roadside car park at the Col de Tamié. Walk towards the restaurant, leaving it on your right, and then follow an uphill forest path; there are signs from the drinking-water reservoir onwards.
Walking trails
The Tour du vallon de Tamié is a shady walking trail that connects the Abbaye Cistercienne Notre Dame de Tamié with the Fort de Tamié.
The circular trail to the Tour Gaillarde in Plancherine leads to a fortified residential complex that has been inhabited since the 16th century. The circular trail is open from 1 May to 31 October in favourable weather conditions and can be accessed free of charge.
More destinations: Sainte-Hélène-Du-Lac, Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers, Sainte-Hélène-Sur-Isère, Valloire, Saint-Alban-de-Montbel, Albiez Montrond, Saint-Jean-D'arves, Pugny-Chatenod
