Situated on the slopes of Revard, Pugny-Chatenod overlooks Lac du Bourget. Cultural history and hiking trails highlight different sides of the village: the Chapelle Notre-Dame de l’Unité and the Monastère Notre-Dame de l’Unité tell the story of a distinctive monastic past, while several hiking routes cross the commune. When planning your visit, it is worth considering the cultural sights and the trails’ different difficulty ratings separately.
Monastic history and the Chapelle de l’Unité
The main building of the Monastère Notre-Dame de l’Unité was first a spa hotel, then an orphanage, and became a monastery in 1971. The monastery lies near the village of Pugny-Chatenod at an altitude of less than 700 metres. Pilgrims visit the site and appreciate its beauty as well as the very beautiful mountain hikes in the surrounding area.
The Chapelle Notre-Dame de l’Unité has a Greek-cross floor plan and a dome inspired by the Christian East. The Chapelle de l’Unité was built in 1926. Its crypt is open to visitors; it contains the remains of Fernand Portal, a pioneer of ecumenism. In connection with the 2026 restoration project, access to the Chapelle Notre-Dame de l’Unité was specified as being exclusively on foot. If you are planning a visit, take this access information into account.
The monastery’s Église Saint-Joseph also welcomes visitors, and services are held there regularly. It should not be confused with the Église Saint-Maurice parish church. The latter replaced an older church, whose materials were reused in the new building. The new church has a regular floor plan with two side chapels. A group of seven stained-glass windows depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds.
Hikes through Pugny-Chatenod
The Sur les Traces de la Crémaillère hike passes through Pugny-Chatenod. It is 13 kilometres long, moderately difficult and downhill. The easy Balade autour de Mouxy circular walk also passes through the commune and is 7.3 kilometres long. There are different options to choose from: a moderately difficult 13-kilometre downhill hike or an easier 7.3-kilometre circular walk. Trail conditions may vary seasonally.
Another option is Stage 5 of the GR® des Grands Lacs, which also passes through Pugny-Chatenod. On its way to Aix-les-Bains, it descends along the route of the former rack railway. Golet de la Pierre is mentioned as an option for more athletic hikers; no further route details are provided.
Traces of the historic rack railway
The historic rack railway to Revard ran from Aix via Mouxy and Pugny-Chatenod towards Revard. Its history can be linked to the GR stage, which descends to Aix-les-Bains along the former railway track. At the historic Ancienne gare et pont de Pugny site, only the bridge abutments remain visible; the station and water tower have disappeared. The railway’s history can therefore be explored both along the track and through the few surviving structural traces.
Pugny-Chatenod offers concrete options for a stay focused on culture and hiking: from the chapel’s architecture and the monastery’s history to hikes with clearly different lengths and difficulty ratings. The route that suits your plans depends on the described distance and level of difficulty.
Discover more destinations: Saint Francois Longchamp, Fontcouverte-La-Toussuire, Saint-Jean-D'arves, Saint-Oyen, Jarrier, La Bridoire, Motz, Peisey-Nancroix.
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