Beaulard – Hiking Trails, Nature and History at the Dora di Bardonecchia

Valley floor along the Dora di Bardonecchia

Beaulard lies on the valley floor along the Dora di Bardonecchia at 1,175 metres above sea level. The village has a railway station on the Turin–Bardonecchia railway line. The station is the starting point of the marked route to Rifugio Guido Rey and is also close to the car park where the circular trail begins.

Hiking trails to Rifugio Guido Rey

The marked hiking route from Beaulard station to the Rifugio Guido Rey mountain hut follows trails 702/703. Rifugio Guido Rey can be reached on foot from Beaulard in approximately one and a half hours. The walking time is explicitly only an approximate indication. The approximate time frame can serve as a guideline for planning the hiking day without specifying a fixed duration.

Circular hike via Puy Beaulard

The Anello Beaulard–Puy Beaulard–Beaulard circular hike starts and ends in Beaulard and takes approximately two hours. At Puy Beaulard, the route reaches a maximum elevation of 1,450 metres. The hike passes through forests of Scots pine and spruce. It starts in the car park next to the bridge over the Dora di Bardonecchia near the railway station. For planning the day, the indication of approximately two hours refers to the entire circular route.

Sentiero del Balcone between Oulx and Beaulard

On the Sentiero del Balcone, Beaulard can be reached on foot in less than one and a half hours. The Oulx–Beaulard hiking route of the Sentiero del Balcone follows trail number 701 downhill to Beaulard. On the Oulx–Beaulard hike, it is possible to return to Oulx by train from Beaulard station. The return train journey leads to Oulx, while the hike ends in Beaulard. Unlike the circular hike via Puy Beaulard, this route connects two locations: Oulx as the starting point and Beaulard as the destination with a railway station. Trail number 701 belongs to the section descending to Beaulard and not to the route via trails 702/703.

Natural environment and former cross-country skiing route

The Oasi Xerotermica di Puys (Beaulard) is associated with a special protected area bearing the site code IT1110052 and is managed by the Metropolitan City of Turin. The former Beaulard–Oulx cross-country ski track follows the course of the Dora from Bardonecchia to Oulx. The cross-country ski track therefore explicitly belongs to former use and should not be understood as a current winter sports offering. The former use thus refers to the cross-country ski track and not to the circular route via Puy Beaulard.

Architecture, history and nativity scene

In the hamlet of Puy Beaulard, the traditional architecture is considered to remain intact. Beaulard is the birthplace of Joseph Chalier, a prominent figure of the French Revolution who was executed in 1793. During the Christmas holidays, a typical handmade Occitan nativity scene was set up in Beaulard's restored old bread oven.

More destinations: Exilles, Valprato Soana, Pragelato, Ceres, Sestriere, Cuorgnè, Carella and Bruzolo.

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