Overview
Nature and history in the Upper Susa Valley
Between Oulx and Bardonecchia lies Beaulard, a village in the valley bottom along the Dora river, at the foot of the Grand’Hoche and Punta Clotesse mountains, that works hard to revive its local traditions and cultural heritage.
Once a winter sports hub, it remained a popular resort for tourists and winter sport enthusiasts even after the lifts closed in the mid-1990s. The historic centre houses one of the oldest churches in the Upper Susa Valley, dedicated to St Michael Archangel, dating back to the 11th century. We recommend stopping by the restored old bakery, where a traditional handmade Occitan nativity scene is set up over Christmas.
Beaulard is the starting point for several hiking trails, along which you will find mule tracks once used as a hideout location by freedom fighters. A two-hour hike begins at the bridge spanning the Dora di Bardonecchia tributary, near Beaulard railway station. You can park in the nearby car park and take the wide dirt road to the Puy Beaulard reserve: 462 hectares of forest with an extraordinary variety of flora and fauna.
It is just 5 minutes by train or 10 minutes by bus or car from Oulx. Or, if you enjoy walking in nature, you can take the Sentiero del Balcone trail to Beaulard in less than an hour and a half.
