Eaux Rousses - Orvieille royal hunting house

The ancient Savoy hunting house was one of the favorite places of Vittorio Emanuele for its hunts; nowadays it became the rangers wooden shelter and support structure for research activities in the Park.

About 50 m before the Hotel “ A’ l’Hostellerie du Paradis” a signage pole marks the start of the path. It crosses the meadows in front of the hotel to go inside a magnificent forest, from time to time interrupted by glades and terraces.  The trail, which gradually ascends with hairpin bends, allows, from time to time, to have sight, of the valley below, with different angles. This is possible when the gaze penetrates among interwoven branches of larch, needles free because of the winter season.

You will encounter the ruins of the Rondzegou Alp, and as high as you can see, in a basin below the pastures of Carré and Rujaz, evidence of the historic economy of these alpine valleys, based on cattle breeding and the use of different heights pastures, according to the seasonal variations in altitude, as still now wild animals do.

The path cuts the meadows above the pastures - here we must be careful in case of non settled snow - before reaching the forest of larches and stone pines that accompanies to the entrance of the great basin, which hosts the ranger wooden shelter.

You can meet a variety of animals that live in the forest in winter and don't remain inactive, such as chamois, squirrels, woodpeckers, chickadees and various birds such as robins and the Crossbills, aided by the absence of leaves on the trees.

The descent can be accomplished by following the route of ascent or descending towards the Ruya Alp and Creton hamlet. 

In case of danger for avalanches or not very settled snow, it is better to climb from Creton. 

Not to be missed: 

- PNGP Visitors Centre Degioz ethonographic museum
- The library “ Maison de la montagne”
- Well-preserved examples of the typical valdostane architecture in Creton
- Old water-powered sawmill Maisonnasse