Explore Fontaine-le-Puits via trails with clearly distinct themes: the Sentier des Ravières introduces visitors to the world of the forest, the Chemin des morts tells of a former connection to the parish of Salins-les-Thermes, and two loops lead to Pointe du Cuchet. If you plan to hike during your stay, you can choose based on the theme: nature and animal and tree species, local history, or panoramic views of named peaks.
Forest themes on the Sentier des Ravières
The Sentier des Ravières is a family-friendly themed trail. Children can discover the world of the forest and its animal and tree species in a fun way. It starts at a car park near the church in Fontaine-le-Puits and forms a loop back to the starting point. There is a picnic area and an orientation board at the viewpoint; from there, the panorama stretches across the valley and surrounding peaks. The trail combines a clear nature theme with a view and a place to picnic. It is a good choice for families who want to discover forests, animals and trees on an outing.
Two loops to Pointe du Cuchet
Pointe du Cuchet offers a different focus. The peak in the Belleville valley reaches 1,679 m; from there, panoramic views take in Mont-Blanc, Grande Casse, Grand-Perron and Niélard. Two hiking routes lead there: a short loop and a long loop. Both options share the same viewpoint as their destination, but differ in the shape of the loop. If you want to choose based on the route layout, these two options are available; both lead to the same panorama of the named peaks.
A trail steeped in local history
The Chemin des morts connects Fontaine-le-Puits and Salins-les-Thermes and passes through former limestone mines. Its historical purpose makes the route especially memorable: pallbearers from Fontaine-le-Puits used the path to bring the deceased to the parish of Salins-les-Thermes. The Chemin des morts therefore tells not only of a connection between the villages, but also of a former church destination for burials. If local history matters when choosing an outing, the trail’s former purpose is the main focus here.
The Fontaine-le-Puits et le Puits hiking trail connects the two hamlets and provides access to the Sentier des Ravières. This connection between trails is a useful point of reference when planning a visit to the forest-themed trail: a route linking the hamlets provides access to a trail focused on forests, animals and trees.
Hiking trails at the Retenue de la Coche
Several marked hiking trails start from the Barrage-retenue de la Coche in Fontaine-le-Puits. An information board on the site explains how the Retenue works and its important role in generating electricity in the valley. This adds a technical perspective on the facility to the hiking options at the site. If you want to plan a visit around the information board, check its availability in advance.
Discover more destinations: Montgellafrey, Montalbert, La Rochette, Avrieux, Saint-Oyen, Saint-Paul, Cruet, Saint-Christophe
For the broader travel overview: Savoie.
