# Pointe de la Masse, a landmark 3 Vallées summit combining skiing, views and wildlife conservation

The Pointe de la Masse rises to 2,804 metres on the western side of the 3 Vallées ski area, overlooking Les Menuires. It is one of the most recognisable summits in the Belleville valley. A gondola serves the summit in both winter and summer, bringing together snowsports, hiking, high-altitude dining and an educational strand on Alpine wildlife conservation.

## A summit accessible year-round

The Pointe de la Masse gondola climbs 1,000 metres in eight minutes. In summer, its cabins have glass floors, giving passengers a direct view of the landscape passing beneath them. At the top, a terrace offers 360° views across several Alpine massifs, including Mont Blanc, the Vanoise, the Écrins and the Tarentaise, and the Encombres valley.

## Skiing and hiking: a range of activities

In winter, the Masse sector offers pistes for various levels, plus well-known off-piste and freeriding routes. The Friendly Natural Park, a play zone open to everyone, adds to this. The First Track experience lets skiers ride freshly groomed pistes before the ski area opens, accompanied by piste patrollers, followed by breakfast at altitude. In summer, several hiking and trail-running routes set off from the summit or the valley, crossing ridges, mountain pastures and high-altitude lakes, with trails to suit various levels.

## Dining and entertainment at altitude

Three restaurants serve the Masse sector: Le 2800, a bistronomic restaurant with panoramic views at the top station of the gondola; Les Roches Blanches, halfway down the sector's pistes; and Le Chalet de la Masse, beside the Vallons run, known for its sunny terrace. The gondola's pedestrian lift pass gives access to the machine room, freely open at the top station. Using videos and a LEGO model, it explains how the gondola works: motorisation, acceleration, the clutch, cabins, pylons and the line's profile.

## A site of high ecological value

The Masse sector has a quiet zone for black grouse, set up in partnership with the Parc national de la Vanoise. Across the whole of the 3 Vallées, more than 260 birds have been fitted with GPS tags, including 83 black grouse recorded in the commune of Les Belleville, to better understand their behaviour and protect their habitats. This approach, praised by the Office français de la biodiversité, shows how tourism and species conservation can coexist. The site also hosts the Ludizone – Friendly Natural Park, an educational area developed with the Parc national de la Vanoise to introduce visitors to Alpine wildlife, flora and landscapes in an interactive way.

## "Complètement à la Masse", a sporting and festive gathering

Every year, the Pointe de la Masse hosts "Complètement à la Masse", a downhill race of more than 5 kilometres open to all snowsports disciplines, along a course lined with obstacles and entertainment. Two courses are on offer: the "Barjo" course, more demanding and open to solo entrants aged 15 and over, and the "Mollo" course, more accessible and completed in teams of three from age 9.

## Key points

- The Pointe de la Masse gondola climbs 1,000 metres in eight minutes to reach the summit, at 2,804 metres.
- More than 260 birds, including 83 black grouse recorded in the commune of Les Belleville, have been fitted with GPS tags as part of a partnership with the Parc national de la Vanoise to protect their habitats.
- The sector has three high-altitude restaurants: Le 2800 at the top station of the gondola, Les Roches Blanches halfway along the pistes, and Le Chalet de la Masse beside the Vallons run.
- The gondola's machine room, freely accessible at the summit, explains how the ski lift works using videos and a LEGO model.
- The annual "Complètement à la Masse" event features a downhill race of more than 5 kilometres with two courses, "Barjo" (solo, from age 15) and "Mollo" (in teams of three, from age 9).
