Communication between the Chappe telegraphs of Haute Maurienne Vanoise

A historic event unique in the world: just like 200 years ago, coded messages are transmitted between the three historic stations: Courberon in Avrieux, Plan de l'Ours in St André and Mollard Fleury in Val Cenis-Sardières

Description

4 days not to be missed:
- National Chappe Telegraphy Day, on the first Sunday in June,
- Les estivales Chappe: the third Monday in July, the first Friday in August, and European Heritage Days, the third weekend in September,
Starting in 1793, France’s aerial telegraph lines formed the world’s first telecommunications network. The five Chappe brothers designed, built, and managed the network.
The technique used involved placing towers on high points to support an indicator mechanism consisting of a long arm pivoting at the top of two beams, each equipped at both ends with a short, pivoting arm.
The geometric figures formed by these arms indicated a number from 1 to 92, referring to a dictionary of words or phrases. The first signal indicated the page, the second the line containing the word to be coded. A telescope was used to read the signals from a distance.

Environments

• Mountain location

Rates

Free of charge.

Opening period

Sunday, June 7, 2026, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Monday, July 20, 2026, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Friday, August 7, 2026, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Sunday, September 20, 2026, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Spoken languages

• French

Adapted tourism

• Accessible for wheelchairs with assistance

Location

Access to the Plan de l'Ours telegraph: follow the signs for Saint-André - L'Orgère, then follow the signs for "Télégraphe Chappe", access by car and bus, parking 200 m from the site.
Courberon telegraph access: from Aussois, take the route des barrages and turn left towards "le Clotte". Follow the signs, about 30 minutes' walk.
Mollard Fleury telegraph access: from Aussois, take the road to the dams, then the Balmes trail to the Source de Fournette parking lot (unpaved forest road).
Then a 20-minute walk along the forest path.

Animals

Pets allowed : No