The origins of Beaufort

Capital of Beaufortain, famous for its AOP cheese and appreciated for its summer and winter tourist resort, Beaufort occupies a strategic place at the crossroads of valleys, rivers and major roads. Its territory, already occupied in antiquity, became in the Middle Ages the seat of the seigniory of Beaufort, which built a castle there from the 10th century. The building will be sold to Béatrice de Faucigny in the 13th century and its defensive architecture will be reinforced. At the heart of tensions between the Counts of Dauphiné, the Counts of Geneva and the House of Savoy, the castle was finally ceded to Savoy in 1355.

The dairy industry has been at the heart of the Beaufort economy since medieval times, when farmers cleared the mountain pastures to practice transhumance. The trade in a pressed cheese, then called "vachelin" was favored by the central location of Beaufort, at the crossroads of several valleys and on the salt road. In the 17th century, the know-how of Swiss cheese makers was imported into Beaufortain. The reputation of the local cheese then goes far beyond the borders of the mountain country. The appellation of Beaufort was given to this famous cheese from the Tarentaise valley in 1865. The AOC was obtained in 1968 and the AOP in 2011.

The essentials of Beaufort

A must-see tourist destination in the Savoie-Mont Blanc sector today, the town of Beaufort is home to the summer and winter resort of Arêches-Beaufort. It includes two ski and Nordic sub-areas, Grand-Mont and Planay. Famous for hosting the Pierra Menta, a mythical alpine ski race, the resort organizes several other important events such as the CMSAB challenge and the Grand Parcours.

The long history of Beaufort can be discovered through the remains of several castles: that of the seigniory of Beaufort, but also that of the Outards on the hill of Curtillets, that of Sallaz on the left bank of Argentina or that of Randens which houses the town hall. Two baroque style churches, that of Sainte-Maxime de Beaufort and that of Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Arêches enrich the built heritage of the valley. Other must-sees in Beaufortain, the Roselend dam built in 1961 and the chapel of the same name erected when the hamlet of Roselend was swallowed up when the dam was impounded.

Finally, Beaufort is rich in an incredible natural heritage: between the Mont-Blanc massif, the Aravis chain, the Bauges massif and the Vanoise massif, the Beaufortain massif culminates at 2995 m in Roignais. A mecca for mountaineering, it is also popular in summer for its many dam lakes which offer a wide range of leisure and outdoor activities.

Living in Beaufort

In the heart of the high Savoyard mountains, in a country of traditions renowned for the excellence of its cheese production, living in Beaufort is a pleasure that can be measured throughout the year, from the first fine days on the mountain pasture trails to the last snow in its ski areas. In a preserved living environment, you can enjoy a lively local life and all the local services: shops, two schools, and a college with a high-level ski section with flexible hours.

Less than 20 km from Albertville, 45 minutes from Lake Annecy and less than two hours from Geneva, Beaufort is a dream destination for people wishing to buy a second home or settle in the year mountain. The small town of 2,000 souls offers its residents an exceptional quality of life and a range of activities in all seasons: hiking and trails, tourist festivities, fishing in lakes and rivers, via ferrata and climbing, canyoning, mountain biking, and of course a multitude of winter sports in the snowy areas.

Get in touch with the Barnes Aravis agency teams or visit them in an agency in La Clusaz to discover the exceptional properties for sale in Beaufort and Beaufortain.