Bessans
Encyclopedia
Bessans is a commune
in the Savoie
department in the Rhône-Alpes
region
in south-eastern France.
plateau
, at an altitude of 1750 meters, the area is known for its sporting activities. Bessans is located in a valley, ideal for Nordic skiing
. Following the collapse of the mountain downstream from Bessans (between 10000 and 3000 years BC), an ice-dammed lake formed. The successive sedimentary deposits have created the plateau on which Bessans is situated. The physical characteristics of the site are reinforced by an early and high-quality snow from November to April, and by sunny weather. These allow the team French Nordic skiing and Biathlon
teams, as well as those of other nations to train in Bessans
There are numerous glaciers in the area (Albaron, Deep sea, Large Pareis, Baounet...), and nearby is the highest peak of the Maurienne
(Charbonnel, 3752 m),
was used to manufacture axes whose specimens were found with more than 200 km (124.3 mi) of the site.
Gontran annexes Maurienne
10th century: Maurienne is subject to invasion.
11th century: Humbert I found the "House of Savoy
".
1376: the church existed already has its current site.
1576: restoration of the church of Bessans.
1578: Shroud of Turin
is found in Bessans.
1600: the hamlet of Avérole is carried by an avalanche and is rebuilt with the current site.
1725: the priest of Bessans creates a public school.
1762: Bonneval separates from Bessans and becomes a commune with whole share.
1852: creation of the fair to the cattle which takes place in September.
1860: The annexation of Savoy by France is voted by plebiscite, as Savoy leaves the Kingdom of Sardinia
: "Our hearts goes where our rivers go."
1869: building of a road between Lanslevillard and Bessans passing by the country cottages of the Madeleine and Chalp.
End of the 19th century: 1110 inhabitants in Bessans, including 52 in Vincendières, 69 in Avérole, 30 in Goulaz and 73 in Villaron.
1926: restoration of the church.
1937: inauguration of the road of the collar of Iseran by the President of the Republic Albert Lebrun.
1940: On June 14, part of the population is evacuated. The Italian troops
occupy Bessans and Avérole and plunder the village. Villaron, Goulaz and Bonneval are spared.
1944: the Germans set fire to Bessans, burning 150 houses,
1957: an enormous flood of the Arc River
causes major damage in all the valley. The efforts of rebuilding after the war are partly destroyed.
1962: installation of a first ski-lift "Wire snows" on the initiative of the Ponce abbot
1963: creation of the National park of Vanoise
.
1972: opening of the center of ski touring "Bessannaise".
1994: end of the restoration of the parish church.
Civil Houses of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with the roofs of roofing stones. Stones engraved on houses. This includes the famous external murals from the seventeenth century on the "dead house" (after the novel of Henri Bordeaux carrying this title, and which describes in fictionalized form the life of Bessans in the nineteenth century). The is also a notable bridge on the Arc River.
s representing the seven theological virtues followed from the dance from the defects connected by a chain drawn by two demons in direction from the hell. The bell-tower of the vault is assembled on the Western pinion and dominates a roof with double slope in roofing stones. This vault possessed a typical coffered ceiling
of the Rebirth with polychrome paintings (1526). On the walls of the vault are forty panels representing the life of Jesus Christ, from the Nativity
to Pentecost
, in the same style as paintings of the Vault Saint-Sébastien de Lanslevillard. Painting is all done as fresco
s, painting with water on fresh mortar.
Church is located near the vault Saint-Anthony, these two buildings being integrated in the "Ways of the Baroque". It is impossible to determine the date of its construction, but it is certain that it existed already in 1376; it underwent many changes over the centuries. Like all the churches High-Maurienne, it possessed a closed hall. The vault of this hall is decorated in plaster existing already in 1827 and representing the miracle with the Holy Host in Turin
. At the interior of the church, eight arched windows introduce enough light to make it possible to contemplate the vault with medallions. The sight is first of all attracted by the high altar, whose marble is of a beautiful Carrara marble white, decorated of a Jean-Baptist Saint on the front, of fine facets and drawings. The steps are with notched edges and, on the gate vault, a slim dome is profiled on four elegant posts. This furnace bridge was carried out in 1858. Four other small furnace bridges are on both sides nave of the church. They are dedicated to Saint Antoine, Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel, Notre-Dame du Rosaire, and Saint Joseph
. Inside the church are murals and religious statues carved by local artists. The bell-tower is of an ancient date. Its structure is the same one as that of the towers known as "Sarrasines" that one still finds throughout the valley. It is decorated of four bells
. Most famous of the sculptures are those of the devil
, the emblem of Bessans, whose origin goes back only to 1857. This "devil" was created by Etienne Vincendet, known by the and of the 18th century as "of the Saints" because of his talent as an artist.
Etienne Vincendet also carved hundreds of statuettes of Saints and the Holy ones, from which came his nickname of "Etienne of the Saints". His son Pierre François continued the tradition. Today, the "devil" of Bessans is reproduced on the postal flame of the village and throne on the place of the town hall beside the fountain.
The work "ETIENNE OF the SAINTS, INVENTOR OF the" DEVILS OF BESSANS ", memory of Etienne Vincendet, wood-carver and cantor with the Church of Bessans", of Francis Tracq, éd. the Fountain of Siloé 2006, evokes this sculptor and his works.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
department in the Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in south-eastern France.
Geography
Located on the Haute-MaurienneMaurienne
Maurienne is one of the provinces of Savoy, corresponding to the arrondissement of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in France. It is also the original name of the capital of the province, now Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.-Location:...
plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
, at an altitude of 1750 meters, the area is known for its sporting activities. Bessans is located in a valley, ideal for Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....
. Following the collapse of the mountain downstream from Bessans (between 10000 and 3000 years BC), an ice-dammed lake formed. The successive sedimentary deposits have created the plateau on which Bessans is situated. The physical characteristics of the site are reinforced by an early and high-quality snow from November to April, and by sunny weather. These allow the team French Nordic skiing and Biathlon
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
teams, as well as those of other nations to train in Bessans
There are numerous glaciers in the area (Albaron, Deep sea, Large Pareis, Baounet...), and nearby is the highest peak of the Maurienne
Maurienne
Maurienne is one of the provinces of Savoy, corresponding to the arrondissement of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in France. It is also the original name of the capital of the province, now Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.-Location:...
(Charbonnel, 3752 m),
Neolithic era
The first traces of the human occupation are found in Haute-Maurienne. Close to Bessans, on the walls of the Rock of the Castle, one can see cave paintings representing a herd of stags, accompanied by other signs. Flint arrowheads and other evidence of early settlement were found at the foot of the rock at the time of recent excavations. It is also known that locally mined serpentiniteSerpentinite
Serpentinite is a rock composed of one or more serpentine group minerals. Minerals in this group are formed by serpentinization, a hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle...
was used to manufacture axes whose specimens were found with more than 200 km (124.3 mi) of the site.
Middle ages
574: the Merovingian KingKing
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
Gontran annexes Maurienne
10th century: Maurienne is subject to invasion.
11th century: Humbert I found the "House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
".
1376: the church existed already has its current site.
Early modern
1532: the bishop of Maurienne sets up the parish of Bonneval, forming part of the commune of Bessans.1576: restoration of the church of Bessans.
1578: Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
is found in Bessans.
1600: the hamlet of Avérole is carried by an avalanche and is rebuilt with the current site.
1725: the priest of Bessans creates a public school.
1762: Bonneval separates from Bessans and becomes a commune with whole share.
1852: creation of the fair to the cattle which takes place in September.
1860: The annexation of Savoy by France is voted by plebiscite, as Savoy leaves the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
: "Our hearts goes where our rivers go."
1869: building of a road between Lanslevillard and Bessans passing by the country cottages of the Madeleine and Chalp.
End of the 19th century: 1110 inhabitants in Bessans, including 52 in Vincendières, 69 in Avérole, 30 in Goulaz and 73 in Villaron.
Twentieth century
1920: construction of the refuge of Avérole by the CIF.1926: restoration of the church.
1937: inauguration of the road of the collar of Iseran by the President of the Republic Albert Lebrun.
1940: On June 14, part of the population is evacuated. The Italian troops
Military history of Italy during World War II
During World War II , the Kingdom of Italy had a varied and tumultuous military history. Defeated in Greece, France, East Africa and North Africa, the Italian invasion of British Somaliland was one of the only successful Italian campaigns of World War II accomplished without German support.In...
occupy Bessans and Avérole and plunder the village. Villaron, Goulaz and Bonneval are spared.
1944: the Germans set fire to Bessans, burning 150 houses,
1957: an enormous flood of the Arc River
Arc (Provence)
The Arc is an 83 km long river in the south of France. It arises at an altitude of 470 m, close to the village of Pourcieux. It then passes through Aix-en-Provence before flowing into the Étang de Berre, a lake to the west of Marseille....
causes major damage in all the valley. The efforts of rebuilding after the war are partly destroyed.
1962: installation of a first ski-lift "Wire snows" on the initiative of the Ponce abbot
1963: creation of the National park of Vanoise
Vanoise National Park
Vanoise National Park , is a French national park in the Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps, created in 1963 after mobilization from the environmentalist movement against a touristic project. It was the first French national park. This park is in the département of Savoie...
.
1972: opening of the center of ski touring "Bessannaise".
1994: end of the restoration of the parish church.
Mayors
- 1983-1989 George Personnaz
- 1977-1983 Victor Personnaz
- 1971-1977 Maxime Gautier
- 1958-1971 Albert Cimaz
Architectural heritage
Prehistoric vestiges and ancient neolothic Cave paintings with the "Rock of the Castle".Civil Houses of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with the roofs of roofing stones. Stones engraved on houses. This includes the famous external murals from the seventeenth century on the "dead house" (after the novel of Henri Bordeaux carrying this title, and which describes in fictionalized form the life of Bessans in the nineteenth century). The is also a notable bridge on the Arc River.
The Saint-Anthony Vault
The Saint-Anthony vault forms part of a network of vaults, oratories and cross on the parochial territory of Bessans. It is a rectangular building built on the sandy spur which overhangs the village, parallel to the church. It dates from the beginning of fifteenth century. It was set up and decorated between 1503 and 1522. The principal frontage is protected by a hood which shelters external decoration, of the frescoFresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s representing the seven theological virtues followed from the dance from the defects connected by a chain drawn by two demons in direction from the hell. The bell-tower of the vault is assembled on the Western pinion and dominates a roof with double slope in roofing stones. This vault possessed a typical coffered ceiling
Coffer
A coffer in architecture, is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault...
of the Rebirth with polychrome paintings (1526). On the walls of the vault are forty panels representing the life of Jesus Christ, from the Nativity
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
to Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
, in the same style as paintings of the Vault Saint-Sébastien de Lanslevillard. Painting is all done as fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s, painting with water on fresh mortar.
The Saint-Jean-Baptist church
The Saint-Jean-BaptistJohn the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
Church is located near the vault Saint-Anthony, these two buildings being integrated in the "Ways of the Baroque". It is impossible to determine the date of its construction, but it is certain that it existed already in 1376; it underwent many changes over the centuries. Like all the churches High-Maurienne, it possessed a closed hall. The vault of this hall is decorated in plaster existing already in 1827 and representing the miracle with the Holy Host in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. At the interior of the church, eight arched windows introduce enough light to make it possible to contemplate the vault with medallions. The sight is first of all attracted by the high altar, whose marble is of a beautiful Carrara marble white, decorated of a Jean-Baptist Saint on the front, of fine facets and drawings. The steps are with notched edges and, on the gate vault, a slim dome is profiled on four elegant posts. This furnace bridge was carried out in 1858. Four other small furnace bridges are on both sides nave of the church. They are dedicated to Saint Antoine, Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel, Notre-Dame du Rosaire, and Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
. Inside the church are murals and religious statues carved by local artists. The bell-tower is of an ancient date. Its structure is the same one as that of the towers known as "Sarrasines" that one still finds throughout the valley. It is decorated of four bells
Art
In a country of sculptors, Bessans is rich in popular art as in religious art: wheels and stopper rods, hens with salt, wooden toys, statues, and crosses. The best known sculptor was Jean-Baptist Clappier, of the hamlet of Vincendières, one of the first local artists of the Baroque periodBaroque art
Baroque painting is the painting associated with the Baroque cultural movement. The movement is often identified with Absolutism, the Counter Reformation and Catholic Revival, but the existence of important Baroque art and architecture in non-absolutist and Protestant states throughout Western...
. Most famous of the sculptures are those of the devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, the emblem of Bessans, whose origin goes back only to 1857. This "devil" was created by Etienne Vincendet, known by the and of the 18th century as "of the Saints" because of his talent as an artist.
The Devil of Bessans
In 1857, the cantors of Bessans were refused by the local priest their annual meals. By small revenge, Etienne Vincendet, cantor, carved in wood a statuette of a devil carrying a priest, and left it one evening in front of the door of the presbytery. The priest suspected the Etienne, and brings object back to place it in front of the house of Vincendet. The sculpture continued to be moved back and forth for a whole month, until the sculptor relents. A tourist sees work and bought it.Etienne Vincendet also carved hundreds of statuettes of Saints and the Holy ones, from which came his nickname of "Etienne of the Saints". His son Pierre François continued the tradition. Today, the "devil" of Bessans is reproduced on the postal flame of the village and throne on the place of the town hall beside the fountain.
The work "ETIENNE OF the SAINTS, INVENTOR OF the" DEVILS OF BESSANS ", memory of Etienne Vincendet, wood-carver and cantor with the Church of Bessans", of Francis Tracq, éd. the Fountain of Siloé 2006, evokes this sculptor and his works.
Economy
- Sheep
- Cooperative dairy
- manufacture of Tomme and Beaufort
Events
- Artisanal fair: third Sunday of September.
- Employers' festival: June 24; communal: August 15.
- Pilgrimages: with the vault of Third (3 000 m): July 16; at Notre-Dame-de-Rochemelon(the highest vault of Europe, 3 538 m) August:5.
- The Marathon of Bessans in January, competition of mass of ski touring, registered in Euroloppet since 2008
- Biathlon, in March
- The 2008 Biathalon Summer World Championship
- The living crecheNativity sceneA nativity scene, manger scene, krippe, crèche, or crib, is a depiction of the birth of Jesus as described in the gospels of Matthew and Luke...
of Bessans, December 24, with the baby Jesus, the Three Wise Men, performed by more than 50 Bessanais accompanied by the ass, ox, and a goat, performing the oldest texts and songs of Noëls Bessanais (written around 1650). A cave is dug in snow to accommodate Mary, Joseph and the Jesus child.
Tourism
- Summer health resort
- Guided tours of the vaults and the church.
- Ski resort: 2 200 m at the top of the tracks; 3 km (1.9 mi) of alpine ski pistes; 80 km (49.7 mi) of ski touring.
- Rock climbingRock climbingRock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
: rock of Barmette; rock school of Drailles White; Black cliff of Balme. - Fishing
- Nature walks
- Camping
- School of French skiing