The Eau Rousse footbridges starting from Notre-Dame de Briançon

Park in the car park by the cemetery behind the Notre-Dame de Briançon power stations.

(S/E) Turn your back on the cemetery and walk for about a hundred metres. Turn right onto a path through the Cudray forest, from where you can see the hydroelectric facilities at Notre-Dame de Briançon, notably its penstock.

(1) At the first junction, continue straight ahead to take a flight of steps that will take you over the penstock. Then follow a path cantilevered above the Eau Rousse canyon, running as close as possible to the torrent. You’ll cross a few footbridges before the path draws closer to the torrent, bringing you down to its level. Please note: during periods of high water, the torrent can rise very high and make the path impassable. You’ll reach a junction with, on your right, a footbridge allowing you to cross the Eau Rousse.

(2) Turn left and head uphill through the Cudray forest. The path isn’t always easy to follow, but it’s marked by small green and yellow markers attached to the trees.

(3) Back on a wide path, turn right to reach the picturesque village of Le Cudray (circular return). After passing the first houses, follow the road to the right and continue straight on until you reach the village square.

(4) A few metres further on, at the entrance to the village, there is a public car park. Just before this, take the small path that winds sharply uphill to the left and runs behind the houses. After a few bends, you’ll cross the track for the first time. Continue straight ahead on the path that overlooks the track.

(5) After crossing the track a second time, the track takes a hairpin bend to the right. Leave it behind and continue straight ahead along the path which leads back into the forest, and carry on to the highest point of the walk: the Grand Jet viewpoint (990 m).

(6) Once you reach this point, return along the same route to Sous le Cudray (750 m).

(3) On your left is the path you followed on your way up from the stream. Head straight on along a magnificent forest path flanked by impressive dry-stone walls. Return to the junction beneath the penstock, where you rejoin the path you took at the very start of the walk.

(1) Follow this path to the right to descend to the car park at the Notre-Dame de Briançon cemetery (S/E).

Some exposed sections may be difficult for those prone to vertigo.

Between (1) and (2), the section with the footbridges is the most spectacular. It was built in 1897 during the installation of the penstock at the Notre-Dame de Briançon power station.
(3) You can shorten the route by turning left to reach the (1).
(6) Grand Jet viewpoint: it offers an exceptional, bird’s-eye view of the Aigueblanche Basin, the lower Tarentaise valley and the surrounding mountain ranges.