Maurienne

Maurienne (French pronunciation: [mɔʁjɛn]; Arpitan: Môrièna; Italian: Moriana) is one of the provinces of Savoy, corresponding to the arrondissement of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in France.

The A43 autoroute and a railway line enter at the western end from the Isère valley, and leave at Modane using the Fréjus Road and Rail Tunnels respectively which both emerge at Bardonecchia in Italy.

The province contains the following cantons, from west to east : The abundance of hydro-electric power (there are twenty-four hydroelectric stations in the valley) created heavy industry such as electrochemical plants and aluminum refining, but now the emphasis in the area is on tourism, especially winter sports.

Alpine ibex, grey wolves, lynx, royal eagles or vultures are among the many rare species that live in the numerous valleys of Maurienne.

In 1032, Humbert the White-Handed received the Maurienne, his native land, from Conrad II the Salian whom he had helped in his Italian campaigns against Aribert, Archbishop of Milan.

In the Maurienne are a series of five forts, La Barrière de l'Esseillon, that were created by the Sardinians in the early 19th century to protect Piedmont from a French invasion.

The Maurienne was not incorporated into France until 1860, as part of the political agreement with Napoleon III that brought about the unification of Italy.

The Grande Casse is the main peak of the valley.
The crystalline range of Ambin and one of its numerous wild valleys in Maurienne
The well preserved nature, thanks to the national park, attracts many tourists looking for real alpine wilderness, and a fauna still preserved.
The Maurienne Valley is one of the longest intra-alpine valleys in the Alps.
Haute Maurienne entirely covered by Vanoise National Park and its protected periphery.