Wildlife sightings are a highlight of any trip into nature, but some encounters are so rare and intimate that they become the defining moment of a journey. For a family hiking near the Col du Bonnet du Prêtre, that moment was a breathtakingly close encounter with a majestic eagle.
As they climbed higher into the remote landscape of the Grand Tour de Tarentaise, the eagle flew past them “almost at eye level,” at a distance of no more than six metres. This was not a fleeting glimpse of a distant speck in the sky, but a close, personal, and powerful interaction with one of the Alps’ apex predators.
Such an encounter is a testament to the wildness and health of the ecosystem in the Vallée des Belleville. Eagles require vast, undisturbed territories to thrive, and the presence of these magnificent birds is a positive indicator of the region’s environmental quality.
For the family, especially the children, this was a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s a story they will tell for years to come, a vivid reminder of the raw, untamed beauty they witnessed in the French Alps. It’s moments like these that transform a great holiday into a truly legendary one.