The Village of Conflans

The medieval village of Conflans is very close to the centre of Albertville; it stands on a promontory and has important historical significance. The entrance portal, the fountain, the church and the castle, the monuments, the squares, the old workshops in the central streets — everything dates back to the 13th-16th centuries. From here, in a garden, there's a belvedere over the whole city of Albertville. In Conflans there's also the museum of history and ethnography, as well as bars and restaurants, the small centre with the main square and historic buildings. The village is well preserved and you can enter freely or join guided group tours. Not far away there's a large free car park and a pedestrian access route to the village guides walkers to the entrance. Address: borgo medievale Albertville

A stone's throw from the famous Albertville, which hosted the Winter Olympics years ago, there's the historic and very well preserved site of Conflans. Visiting it doesn't take much effort; it takes a little over an hour and it's beautiful. You park in a nearby car park and from a signposted pedestrian route you enter the village through an ancient stone archway, with a coat of arms and an explanation on a sign. Already from outside you admire the beauty and what the village preserves. The predominant colours are obviously grey in various shades, the colour of bare stone. At the entrance it feels like making a leap in time and being catapulted into the past. Old low houses, a castle that dominates, little alleys and everything is up and down. You stand open-mouthed before the old restored church, with beautiful frescoes outside and a well-preserved, very rich interior.

The altar is ornate and chapels contain statues and paintings. From the belvedere of the public garden you get a lovely view of the castle from above; you arrive at the old central square with ancient paving, fountains, benches, very well-tended flower beds and the museum of history and ethnography. It recalls the square of Orta San Giulio. Climbing up the little road behind the church you reach an old little castle in the midst of restoration. The village is small but welcoming and unique; little workshops with signs typical of the era and a few small restaurants make this Haute-Savoie village perfect.