Chapel Trail

See the chapels in the villages around Samoëns! You can drive to all the chapels except the one in La Jaÿsinia botanic garden. And here’s a tip - explore the village on foot to appreciate the scenery at its best!

There is not yet any complete signposted route to take you from one chapel to the next until you have seen them all. However, there are already partial routes that have been well signposted (yellow markings) by the Upper Giffre Valley Council and the "County" Council (Environmental Quality):
All the chapels are accessible by car except the castle chapel, which is part of La Jaÿsinia alpine botanic garden. Still, it would be a pity not to take the time to explore on foor the villages in which they are located. There are no real parking amenities except in Vallon d’en haut, up above the fountain (not available in snow) i.e. a good 15 minutes' walk from the chapel. In the other villages, parking spaces are limited and the locals strongly dislike people leaving their cars in other places.
Details of the signposted footpaths and maps are included in the following ramblers' guides ("topoguides"):
- Vallée du Haut-Giffre, randonnées pédestres, by Patrice Gain, District Council of the Upper Giffre Valley-Morillon-Samoëns-Sixt Fer-à-Cheval-Verchaix, Edisud n°41, 1998 ;
- France/Suisse Les Dents Blanches - Les chemins de la découverte, topoguide des sentiers de randonnée Ref.741, pub. by Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre, 1996.
You can see details of the entire route on the following maps:
- IGN 3530 ET "Samoëns Haut-Giffre", available in shops;
- Grand Massif available at the Tourist Office
Generally speaking, the chapels are closed unless they are being used for special services or guided tours:
- Guided tours: the Guides du Patrimoine Savoie Mont Blanc provided guided tours in the winter season (Vallon) and summer season (Chantemerle, Mathonex, Vallon, Vercland). They will not only take you into the chapels but will also describe the history and life of the respective villages: information at the Tourist Office.
- The not-for-profit "Friends of the Chapels" association ("Les amis des chapelles") organises a range of events to raise funds and help the villages to maintain and renovate the buildings. The castle chapel in the botanic garden is open on certain days in the summer season, depending on the availability of volunteers. Information from La Jaÿsinia house at the entrance to the garden.
- Chapel pilgrimage: held in certain years on the third Sunday in June, led by a group of volunteers. The pilgrims walk round all the chapels on foot, horseback, bike or by car. They stop at each chapel for a prayer, a hymn, a snack and a chat with the villagers.
1) Le Bérouze - Mathonex - Vigny
2) Bourg de Samoëns (secrétariat de mairie) - Chantemerle - les Allamands - Vallon.

Complément d'informations

Other sources of information:
- Pèleriner en Haute-Savoie, 48 itinéraires spirituels à partager, pub. by. Bayard Service Edition, 2002
- Samoëns, Claude Castor et Jean-François Tanghe, Trésors de la Savoie, 1982
- Histoire de Samoëns, sept montagnes et des siècles, Colette Gérôme, La Fontaine de Siloé, 2004
- Un Art retrouvé, églises et chapelles baroques en Haute-Savoie, (three volumes), Fernand Roulier, édition Rossat-Mignot, 2001