Historical Monument 26 juin 1974 (≈ 1974)
Official protection order of the site.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Shelter under rock, in the hole of the Féclaz, with an area of 5000 m (Box A 23): classification by decree of 26 June 1974
Origin and history
The rock shelter of Saint-Jean-d-Arvey is a major archaeological vestige of the Chalcolithic period, located in the Savoie department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This site, classified as a Historical Monument by order of 26 June 1974, is precisely at the place called Trou de la Féclaz and covers an area of 5,000 m2. Today it belongs to the commune of Saint-Jean-d-Arvey, identified by the code Insee 73243.
The location of the shelter, although documented in the Merimée database with an administrative address (73230 Saint-Jean-d-Arvey), has a geographical accuracy considered fair (note of 5/10). No additional information is available on its accessibility, conditions of visit or possible associated services (rent, accommodation). The sources mention only its classification and communal property, without details of its past or present use.
Chalcolithic, or Copper Age (c. 2500–2000 B.C. in Europe), marks a period of transition between Neolithic and Bronze Age. In alpine areas such as Savoy, rock shelters often served as temporary shelters or seasonal living places for agro-pastoral communities. These sites were strategic for their proximity to natural resources (water, game, ores) and transalpine routes. The shelter of St. John d'Arvey fits in this context, although its specific history and occupants remain undocumented in available sources.
