Laffrey - Vizille

Practical info

Distance : 11.6km

Time : 4h

Elevation uphill : + 242m

Elevation downhill : - 876m

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Heritage Accommodation & services Comments

The massacre at the bridge in Saint-Barthélémy

In November of 1685, forty-five Trièves Protestants decided to flee via the Oisans path through Bresse. Along this path, after passing through Laffrey, they reached a bridge over the Romanche in Saint-Barthélémy de Séchilienne. The village priest, who was aware of this exile, brought along Catholic villagers to stop them. After a violent battle, only a few Protestants escaped. The rest were killed or captured, brought up on charges, and beheaded, hung or sent to the galleys.

Notre Dame de Mésage, the small village with two Roman churches

The Notre Dame parish church was founded on telluric ground during the Carolingian era. It underwent several construction projects in the 11th century. The design of the church with it's apse and steeple, make it exceptional and very moving to discover. In particular you can explore the little cemetery with it's leaning steeple and it's primitive and hidden apse which can be found behind two large pillars. Certain pillars and the blind arcades were made from alabaster to create a contrast with the limestone tuff. This is the first known use of alabaster. It would later have it's moment of glory in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries when it was used to create the recumbent statues on the tombs of great princes and lords. The private Saint Firmin chapel is all that is left of the group of structures that made up the Hôpital de Vizille in the 13th century. It was a commandery for the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem and then for the Order of Malta. The term "hôpital" makes reference to a hospice or refuge along the Montgenèvre pass road towards Rome and Jerusalem. Since it's construction during the 12th century, this structure has remained in great condition and is considered to be the most beautiful example of a rural Roman church in the Dauphiné mountains. Elevated on a mound, the church is enjoyable to look at from all angles. It was built from rough tuff stones with very fine joints which give it a unique well-finished look. The main lines and volumes are without extraneous decoration and only the decoration on the steeple's arcades draw us in and leave us with questions : "what could these middle ages builders have wanted to tell us with these bizarre figures...?"

Vizille's major bridge

Although Colbert had already started projects to improve the roads, it is under Louis XV's guidance that major public works were undertaken to connect the Kingdom's cities. In the 1750s, one these projects included the improvement of the royal road between Grenoble and Gap. The large bridge over the Romanche was completed in 1752. It was an audacious feat as the bridge was designed with just a single arch that used large limestone blocks. Vizille was transformed into a key city by the bridge sloping down directly into the city. Beforehand, it had only been accessible by the small road that links Grenoble and Briançon. Designed to hold carriages and horses, this large bridge has stayed strong and almost three centuries later it supports 38 ton trucks without flinching.