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 1st Sunday in June,
- Les estivales Chappe: 3rd Monday in July, 1st Friday in August and European Heritage Days, 3rd weekend in September,
From 1793 onwards, 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 consisted in placing towers on high points to support an indicator mechanism consisting of a long arm pivoting at the top of two beams, itself 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 7 June 2026 between 10 am and 12 pm and between 2 pm and 5 pm.

Monday 20 July 2026 between 10 am and 12 pm and between 2 pm and 5 pm.

Friday 7 August 2026 between 10 am and 12 pm and between 2 pm and 5 pm.

Sunday 20 September 2026 between 10 am and 12 pm and between 2 pm and 5 pm.

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