Stamp - Hanging Path - Diosaz Gorge

In the shadow of the Mont-Blanc peaks, the ancient Diosaz glacier and its torrent have patiently carved away the rock, shaping a deep gorge where waterfalls punctuate the dizzying walls. Long considered inaccessible, it pushed people back to its peaks, which were exploited for lumbering, slate and modest mineral prospecting. When physics teacher Achille Cazin moved to the region in 1868, he was struck by the splendor of the surroundings. Anxious to alleviate the daily hardships of the inhabitants, who were suffering from the harsh climate and agricultural losses, and to offer them new sources of income, he came up with an audacious project: to make the gorges accessible to the public. After overcoming misgivings, he formed a local society with the local population, and work began under his direction in 1871. Completed in 1875, the suspension railway became a new "wonder of the Alps" and, posthumously in 1877, Cazin was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. For more than 150 years, this path has been an invitation to a timeless journey, offering a breathtaking spectacle in the heart of a rarely contemplated wilderness. Firmly anchored to the rock, it hugs the dizzying walls and soars above the torrent on daring footbridges, overlooking clear waters with emerald reflections that cascade into deep chasms, then unfurl in white, foaming sheets, in admirable contrast to the mosses, dark schists and bright lichens. Today, preserving this site remains a major challenge, taken up year after year by the Compagnie fermière and its "gorgeards", seasoned carpenters and rope access technicians, who combine their know-how to ensure the upkeep, safety and longevity of this exceptional heritage. Thomas Dufour

Timbre : création Frédérique Vernillet d'ap. photo Thomas Dufour Contour de feuille : d'ap. photos Jean-Louis Vermot-Desroches/Naturimages, Grégory Smellinckx/Naturimages, Liszt collection/Alain Ghignone/Naturimages, Serge Jolivel/Naturimages. Mise en page : Valérie Besser.