Modane: Hotels and Accommodation

The Museobar presents the history of the French-Italian border in Modane, the heyday of steam railways, the Fréjus railway tunnel, customs, military life, Italian emigration, and the music of locally manufactured mechanical pianos.

Culture

The Museobar includes a collection of 14 mechanical instruments, most of which come from the department’s collection. The museum offers self-guided visits and a game about the border.

A museum connected to Modane’s underground laboratory explains modern nuclear physics and the research currently being conducted there. Topics covered include natural radioactivity, cosmic radiation, dark matter, and the mass of the neutrino.

For a stay in Modane, you may want to book a hotel.

History

The Rizerie des Alpes has been protected as a historic monument since 1987. Since 6 October 2005, it has housed the exhibition centre for the Lyon–Turin rail link construction project. The building was constructed based on the model of an ancient temple and is surrounded by 16 Ionic columns.

Fort du Replaton is a military structure of the Séré de Rivières type. It was built between 1886 and 1893 to defend the entrance to the railway tunnel above Modane at the end of the 19th century. The path leading there begins in Loutraz and offers unobstructed views of the Arc Valley and the city of Modane below. The Musée de la Traversée des Alpes (MTA) association occasionally organises visits inside Fort du Replaton.

Trails

The Chemin du petit bonheur can be reached directly from Modane railway station, providing convenient access for hikers arriving by train. As a mid-altitude trail, it connects the villages of Haute Maurienne Vanoise through shady forests, panoramic views, and preserved hamlets. The entire route or sections of it can be covered on foot or by bicycle.

Other destinations: Mâcot-La-Plagne, Mouxy, Val-D'isère, Aillon-Le-Jeune, Villarembert, Tignes, Saint-Michel-De-Maurienne, La Tania.

To the higher-level travel overview: Savoie.