Activities - Walking in the French Alps - Saut du Laire
Our guide, Yannick, contemplating the jump!
The tame marmots
The village of Prapic
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This is a great walk for families, as there are lots of good stopping places, very tame marmots, a dramatic waterfall with a story, and various options to make the walk long or short, with or without a steep ascent.It is a day walk with children, but adults could do it in 3 hours.
The Saut du Laire actually means 'the jump of the thief'. In ancient times, a thief stole a sheep from the local shepherd. A chase ensued with both men running frantically up the valley. Eventually the thief came to a large waterfall. It was impassable, but the only other option for him was to turn back and face the angry shepherd. The adrenalin was pumping, and he decided to take a plunge. Amazingly he managed to jump across the waterfall and escaped to safety. No-one has ever attempted the jump since, and so it became known as 'the jump of the thief'!
The walk starts in an old farming village called Prapic. Prapic is still habited all year round by four families, and as you walk through you can see that the old Alpine-style houses and farms are very much in use to this day.
The easiest way is to go is straight up the path by the river to the waterfall 'Saut du Laire' and then back again. Just behind the Saut du Laire is a grassy plateau where, if you sit long enough, the marmots will come out and visit you. Please don't feed them though, as our food isn't good for their health!
If you want to make it into a circular walk you can walk up on the Plateau de Basset on your right, which is a reasonable ascent for children (they would need to be quite motivated!!) and then traverse across it. After that you descend down to the Saut du Laire and walk back along the path by the river.
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